# yawn

/ˈjɔn/ (US) · /jˈɔːn/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yawn
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

to open your mouth wide and take a deep breath because you are tired or bored. It is something your body does automatically.

For teachers: to involuntarily open the mouth wide and inhale deeply, typically as a physiological response to fatigue, boredom, or drowsiness.

## Examples

- I always yawn when I stay up too late.
- The students began to yawn as the lecture stretched into its third hour without a break.
- Observing someone else yawn often triggers a reciprocal response in the viewer, a phenomenon known as contagious yawning that is linked to social bonding and empathy.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.