yell

[ yel ]

verb (used without object)

1. to cry out or speak with a strong, loud, clear sound; shout:

   He always yells when he is angry.

2. to scream with pain, fright, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter or tell by yelling:

   to yell an order to the troops.

noun

1. a cry uttered by yelling.
2. a cheer or shout of fixed words or syllables, as one adopted by a school or college to encourage a team.

yell

/ jɛl /

verb

1. to shout, scream, cheer, or utter in a loud or piercing way

noun

1. a loud piercing inarticulate cry, as of pain, anger, or fear
2. a rhythmic cry of words or syllables, used in cheering in unison

Derived Forms

• ˈyeller, noun

Other Words From

• outyell verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of yell¹

First recorded before 1000; (for the verb) Middle English yellen, Old English gellan, giellan; cognate with German gellen to resound, Dutch gillen; akin to Old English galan “to sing” ( nightingale ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of yell¹

Old English giellan; related to Old Saxon gellon, Old High German gellan, Old Norse gjalla; see nightingale

Example Sentences

But you can still hear the other yell when something good happens for their team.

From Los Angeles Times

In general, Korn and Simons said that these voters were polite but that they had some negative experiences with voters who called them “evil” for supporting Democrats or would yell “Trump” through their window while refusing to answer their doors.

From Salon

“But I’ll rant and yell and tell him s— , and then he’ll go, ‘OK, now listen.

From Los Angeles Times

The kid didn’t clap or yell, but she saw a shudder of recognition across his face, a slight smile of solidarity for LGBTQ+ rights, perhaps, she said, on the road to a town’s acceptance.

From Los Angeles Times

If Trump narrowly loses, he may continue to yell and scream about noncitizen voting, but he’s not going to be able to prove to a court that it is happening on any scale that could affect an election anywhere.

From Slate

Related Words

• hoot
• howl
• screech
• shriek
• squawk
• squeal
• wail
• whoop
• yelp