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View synonyms for yack

yack

[ yak ]

verb (used without object)

, Slang.


yack

/ jæk /

noun

  1. a variant spelling of yak 2
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • yacker noun
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Example Sentences

Until Friday, Johnson’s disgusting propensity to yack all over golf courses – including greens – in the middle of a pandemic was arguably the biggest negative associated with the PGA Tour’s resumption.

A reasonable expectation of safety actually does apply to the right to live freely, unlike the ability to text, yack, surf the web or watch cat videos when you should be watching the road.

Although Letterman clearly has a lot to say about the president, he previously noted that he’s ready to “stop yacking” about Trump in favor of focusing on a 2020 win.

David Letterman is sick of President Trump but thinks Americans should settle things at the 2020 election and quit “yacking about what a goon” the president is.

Too many drivers are clicking, clacking and yacking their way down the highways and byways from what seems to be digital addiction.

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More About Yack

What does yack mean?

Yack is a slang term that means to talk, especially aimlessly, without stopping, and about unimportant things. It is also spelled yak.

Yack is typically used at least somewhat negatively to criticize talking in such a way and imply that it is annoying or excessive, as in Would you two stop yacking and help us? The verbs yap, yammer, and jabber are close synonyms.

The related slang term yackety-yak is a noun referring to the kind of continuous and trivial conversation or talk that results from yacking. The word yack is sometimes used as a noun to mean the same thing, as is the word yacking, as in I can’t hear myself think with all that yacking. The word chatter can be used as a synonym of both the noun and verb sense of yack.

Unrelatedly, yack is sometimes also used as a slang term meaning to vomit, as in Ugh, I feel like I’m going to yack.

Example: My mom yacks on the phone with my aunt for hours about anything and everything.

Where does yack come from?

The first records of yack and yak as slang terms come from around the 1940s from the U.S. They are based on an imitation of the sound of background chatter.

Words like yack and its close synonyms are often used in requests to stop such talk or in complaints about it, as in Quit yacking! or Stop yapping! The words gab and chat can mean the same thing, but they are often used in more neutral or even positive ways. Still, yack isn’t always used in a completely negative way—a person might say that they love to yack with their friends, implying that they enjoy talking for a long time even if the conversation isn’t about anything of substance.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to yack?

  • yak (alternate spelling)
  • yacking (continuous tense verb, noun)
  • yacker (noun)

What are some synonyms for yack?

What are some words that share a root or word element with yack

What are some words that often get used in discussing yack?

How is yack used in real life?

Yack is often used in at least a mildly negative way to imply that talking in such a way is annoying.

Try using yack!

Which of the following words is a synonym of yack?

A. gab
B. jabber
C. chatter
D. all of the above

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