yo-yo
Americannoun
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a spoollike toy consisting of two thick wooden, plastic, or metal disks connected by a dowel pin in the center to which a string is attached, one end being looped around the player's finger so that the toy can be spun out and reeled in by wrist motion.
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something that fluctuates or moves up and down, especially suddenly or repeatedly.
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Slang. a stupid, foolish, or incompetent person.
adjective
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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a toy consisting of a spool attached to a string, the end of which is held while it is repeatedly spun out and reeled in
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slang a stupid person, esp one who is easily manipulated
verb
adjective
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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yo-yosimple
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yo-yossimple
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have yo-yoedperfect
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has yo-yoedperfect
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am yo-yoingprogressive
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are yo-yoingprogressive
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is yo-yoingprogressive
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have been yo-yoingperfect progressive
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has been yo-yoingperfect progressive
Past
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yo-yoedsimple
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had yo-yoedperfect
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was yo-yoingprogressive
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were yo-yoingprogressive
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had been yo-yoingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of yo-yo
First recorded in 1915–20; of undetermined origin; possibly from Ilocano yóyo or a related language as the name of a Philippine toy
Explanation
A yo-yo is a toy that's made of a string wound around two connected discs. The trick of a yo-yo is to drop the discs to the end of the string and flick them back up into your hand. When you learn to use a yo-yo, you can do tricks that involve the spinning discs and the string's tension. A yo-yo expert can "walk the dog," where the yo-yo rolls along the floor like a dog on a leash, or go "around the world," making a wide circle in the air with the yo-yo before snapping it back up the string to her hand. The word yo-yo appeared around 1915, possibly from a language of the Philippines.
Vocabulary lists containing yo-yo
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.
Repeated weight loss followed by weight regain, often called "yo-yo dieting" or weight cycling, has long been viewed as unhealthy and potentially even worse than staying overweight.
From Science Daily • May 17, 2026
They use a "flywheel exercise device," similar to a yo-yo, that can allow for aerobics like rowing as well as provide resistance to perform moves like weighted squats and deadlifts.
From Barron's • Apr. 4, 2026
In combination with the 'boost', which allows the driver to override the car's programmed systems to have maximum electrical energy on demand, this has led to what has been referred to as "yo-yo racing".
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
The sector’s shrinkage reflects years of yo-yo profitability and of returning gobs of cash to shareholders because companies lacked good reinvestment opportunities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
After a minute the pigeon stiffened and flew toward the tracks, then reached the end of its leash and bounced back into Melina’s hand like a yo-yo.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
