What does "yell" mean?
A shout.
Yell
/jɛl/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A shout.
- Grammar: yell is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: call, cry, shout, vociferation.
- Useful contrasts: calm talk, be quiet, coo.
- Usage evidence: When I asked Dad for more money, he really blew up and started to yell at me.
How to use "yell"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "yell" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "yell" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "yell" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "yell" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "yell" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "call" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "yell", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A shout.
- 2 a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition wordnet
- 3 A phrase to be shouted.
"After the dinner a general reception was held in the spacious parlors of the hotel during which the occasion was very much enlivened with the old college songs and old college yells, which transported us all in mind and feelings[…]"
- 4 a loud utterance of emotion (especially when inarticulate) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To shout; holler; make a loud sound with the voice, especially to express intense emotions such as anger or excitement. intransitive
- 2 utter or declare in a very loud voice wordnet
- 3 To convey by shouting. transitive
"He yelled directions to the party from the car."
- 4 utter a sudden loud cry wordnet
- 5 To tell someone off, to scold or rebuke, typically in a loud and angry manner. informal, usually
"If I come home late again, my dad is gonna yell at me."
Adjective
- 1 dry (of cow) Ulster, not-comparable
Proper Noun
- 1 The second-largest island in the Shetland Islands council area, Scotland.
- 2 An unincorporated community in Marshall County, Tennessee, United States, named after Archibald Yell.
- 3 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"When I asked Dad for more money, he really blew up and started to yell at me."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "yell"?
Common synonyms include: call, cry, shout, vociferation, alarm cry, alarm shout.
How do you use "yell" in a sentence?
When I asked Dad for more money, he really blew up and started to yell at me.
How do you pronounce "yell"?
Pronounced /jɛl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English ȝellen, yellen, from Old English ġiellan, from Proto-Germanic *gellaną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian gälje (“to yell”), Dutch gillen (“to yell”), German Low German gellen (“to yell”), German gellen (“to yell”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Scots yeld (“ceasing to give milk”).
Etymology 3
The name of the Shetland Island is from Pictish, cognate with Welsh iâl (“pastureland”), ultimately from Proto-Celtic *yalom (“clearing”).