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Showing results for "Yahoos"

Yahoos

Cultural  
  1. The crude, dirty “brutes” of the land of the Houyhnhnms in Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift. The Yahoos are irrational people and represent the worst side of humanity. By contrast, the wise and gentle Houyhnhnms, their masters, are rational horses and represent humanity at its best.


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A “yahoo” is an uncouth or uncivilized person.

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.

See Examples For:

You’re doing all the right stuff by yourself, and you’re among professionals, medical professionals, not Yahoos, and you can still have someone else make a mistake and your life is gone.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 13, 2026

Their land is plagued by feral animals known as the Yahoos — which, Gulliver is shocked to learn, have human physical form beneath their fur.

From Nature Sep. 26, 2017

In some coastal journalistic circles, producer Brian Reed stands accused of exploiting McLemore and other residents of Woodstock, like Gulliver descended among the Yahoos.

From The Guardian Apr. 9, 2017

Her closest friends are former Yahoos, including Ms. Heimburger, who married yet another surfer and lives in London.

From New York Times Jul. 16, 2016

My master likewise mentioned another quality which his servants had discovered in several Yahoos, and to him was wholly unaccountable. 

From Gulliver's Travels by Swift, Jonathan

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