yawn 1 of 2

Definition of yawnnext
as in bore
someone or something boring as neither candidate was willing to make an unequivocal statement about anything, the debate proved to be a complete yawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

yawn

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of yawn
Noun
The results are only so-so as Tony Stark tussles with PTSD, criminally underused antagonist Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and yawn-worthy villain Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026 At moments in the song, Minogue pitches the word down, a cavernous yawn resounding far from the lub-dub of forever. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 26 July 2026
Verb
Eventually Ursula yawns and lumbers out of the den, with the cubs following. — Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026 But now a desolate school year, long and full of needs not her own, yawned. — Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for yawn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yawn
Noun
  • Many farmers rely on bore water, but some say their wells have been pumped dry by the gas industry, and their water is now being offered to the developers to help build the AI data center.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Legend held that the Roman race had sprung from Mount Ida in Troy, whose name Cybele bore—Magna Mater Idaea.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Nighttime mouth breathing is associated with snoring, dry mouth, receding gums and sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops repeatedly during sleep.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mouth taping promises an easy fix for snoring, dry mouth and restless nights, and your TikTok feed may already be full of influencers swearing by it.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Figures emerge from his signature black background, their silhouettes resolving and dissolving amid legato drips and vigorous brushwork.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Beyond classic drip coffee and specialty lattes, The Cauldron will serve cold brews, tea and lemonade featuring Auten’s homemade syrups.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Ketamine comes in both liquid and powder form, and Jane Doe alleges she was forced to snort a white, powdery substance that she was told was ketamine.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Brylan May, who met McCollough through her legal internship at the Writers Guild of America West in 2024, recalls once seeing McCollough snort a line of cocaine at a party and immediately throw up.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Advertisement Tell your doctor about the pauses, gasping, and any daytime sleepiness.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • While exploring the neighborhood, his dog, Betty, took off and sprinted through the open door of an empty house, sniffing around yet completely at ease.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The buck walked up to the dripper, sniffed it for a moment, and moved on.
    — Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.
    — Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Next to arrive is her disembodied trunk, with a mind of its own, snuffling out friends and enemies and food.
    — Jesse Green, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
  • Their offense has sputtered and wheezed, even as their defense has done its part to keep them in games.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The defense struggled a bit in the first half with the reserves on the field even after producing a second-quarter interception, and the offense also gasped and wheezed with the reserves on the field.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yawn. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster