yell

1 of 2

verb

yelled; yelling; yells

intransitive verb

1
: to utter a loud cry, scream, or shout
2
: to give a cheer usually in unison

transitive verb

: to utter or declare with or as if with a yell : shout
yeller noun

yell

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: a usually rhythmic cheer used especially in schools or colleges to encourage athletic teams

Examples of yell in a Sentence

Verb We saw people yelling for help. I heard someone yelling my name. The crowd was yelling wildly. Noun the crowd gave a yell of approval
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Multiple students reported that Schroeder screamed or yelled threatening statements at them. Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 As young girls in medical offices, they were touched without consent, yelled at, disbelieved or threatened. Johanna Richlin, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2024 President Biden yelled his way through a State of the Union address aimed almost exclusively at shoring up his base. The Editors, National Review, 8 Mar. 2024 Your husband should remember the tale of the boy who cried wolf, which is about a boy who kept yelling about how the famous American author Thomas Wolfe was back in town. John Hodgman, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 America Great Again hat − yelled from her seat that Biden should say the name of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia who was killed last month. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Martin, 56, who lives in Crenshaw, yelled from the front of the store. Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 As the shooting occurred outside, two athletic directors in the gym yelled that there was an active shooter, prompting an evacuation, Daniels said. Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 An entirely sane man would not yell at an enraged 600-pound bull that stands 30 feet in front of him. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024
Noun
Exiting the tour bus, the Red Clay Strays enter the Grey Eagle’s green room through a back door, as rowdy yells and foot stomping begin to take over the low-ceilinged, sardine-can space. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2024 Complete with a dance and a joyful yell, Clowney and his teammates celebrated on the field for about 30 seconds during a stoppage in play. Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2024 While City Council members were honoring a local fraternity chapter, a middle school football team and other community members during proclamations, recognitions inside the chamber were accompanied by muffled yells outside the doors. Riley Bunch The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (tns), al, 15 May 2023 That same yell returned in a trailer at the Game Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday night. Gene Park, Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2023 According to The News & Observer, officials revealed that he was stuck in the hole for almost three hours before his yells for help were heard by other children, who then got the attention of his mom. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023 Greene struck out an equal number of hitters with his fastball (five) as his slider, letting out a yell and punching his hand into his glove after striking out Marcell Ozuna with his 101th pitch of the night. Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 13 Apr. 2023 The two cut into the cake and found blue frosting, causing Patrick to erupt into a yell that got the attention of the whole restaurant. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 5 Oct. 2023 Toddlers are likely to only absorb the frustration and not the substance of the yell, while some children respond differently to being yelled at. Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified the journal name. Issy Ronald, CNN, 2 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English yellen, going back to Old English giellan, gyllan, going back to Germanic *gellan- (whence also Old High German kellen, gellen "to make a shrill sound," Old Norse gjalla "to scream"), perhaps a back-formation from *gullōn-, iterative derivative of *galan- "to sing, cry" — more at nightingale

Noun

Middle English yel, yelle, derivative of yellen "to yell entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of yell was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near yell

Cite this Entry

“Yell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yell. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

yell

1 of 2 verb
1
: to utter a loud cry, scream, or shout
2
: to give a cheer usually as part of a crowd
yeller noun

yell

2 of 2 noun
1
2
: a cheer used especially in schools or colleges to encourage athletic teams

More from Merriam-Webster on yell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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