yelp
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to give a quick, sharp, shrill cry, as a dog or fox.
-
to call or cry out sharply.
The boy yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of yelp
before 900; (v.) Middle English yelpen, Old English gielpan to boast; cognate with Low German galpen to croak; (noun) Middle English: boasting, Old English gielp, derivative of the v.
Explanation
A yelp is a loud cry of pain, like what you’d hear after you step on a dog’s tail by accident. It was an accident, right? The root of yelp is the Old English word gielp, which means “boast.” Clearly the meaning has changed over time, since yelping is nothing to boast about, as it usually involves pain of some kind. The word works as a noun and a verb, so you could say “I can hear a dog yelping,” or “The dog’s yelps kept me up all night.” You could also pet your dog a lot, which will help with the yelps.
Vocabulary lists containing yelp
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On 13 April, fans are being encouraged to "dress up, whoop, yelp and clap their way through this block-busting adventure".
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2025
But for that moment we sang together, a collective yelp of determination to keep dancing.
From Salon • Oct. 16, 2024
Suddenly, a strange yelp echoes from a ridge of craggy outcroppings.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2024
Then I let out something of a yelp, a particular sound familiar to anyone who has lost a loved one or witnessed someone else getting the worst news of their life.
From Slate • Sep. 12, 2023
I yelp as my backyard disappears and Alex and I are suddenly on my kitchen floor.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
