# yield

/ˈjiɫd/ (US) · /jˈiːld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yield
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to produce a result

verb · CEFR B2

to produce or provide something naturally, like a crop, a profit, or information.

For teachers: to produce or provide a natural, financial, or informational result. Transitive — takes a direct object.

- The new apple trees should yield a lot of fruit next summer.
- The research team hoped the new data set would yield significant insights into the long-term effects of the policy change.

### 2. to surrender

verb · CEFR B2

to stop resisting and agree to do what someone else wants.

For teachers: to cease opposition to an overwhelming force or an argument; to submit to another's will.

- After hours of debate, the committee finally yielded to the pressure from the public.
- The general refused to yield the fortress, despite being surrounded by enemy forces and running low on supplies.

### 3. traffic priority

verb · CEFR B1 · American English

to allow other vehicles or people to go past before you do.

For teachers: to give way to other traffic or pedestrians. Intransitive in most traffic contexts.

- You must yield to pedestrians when they are crossing the street.
- Drivers must yield at the roundabout to vehicles already in the circle to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.

### 4. amount produced

noun · CEFR B2

the total amount of something that is produced, such as crops or money.

For teachers: the total quantity or amount of a product, especially agricultural or industrial, or the profit from an investment.

- The farm had a high yield of wheat this year because of the good weather.
- Investors were disappointed by the low dividend yield, which failed to keep pace with the rising rate of inflation.

### 5. material strength

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the point where a material starts to bend or break under pressure.

For teachers: the stress level at which a material begins to deform plastically. Often used as 'yield point' or 'yield strength'.

- The engineer checked the yield of the steel beam to make sure it was safe.
- Exceeding the yield strength of the structural components could lead to permanent deformation and eventual failure of the entire bridge.

### 6. to bend under pressure

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to bend or move because of physical weight or pressure.

For teachers: to give way under physical force or pressure without breaking.

- The wooden floorboards yielded slightly under his heavy boots.
- The soft earth yielded beneath the weight of the heavy machinery, leaving deep ruts in the construction site.

## Examples

- The farm's crop yield is very high.
- Investors look for bonds with a high yield to maximize their returns over time.
- The chemical reaction's final yield was lower than predicted, prompting a full review of the catalytic process and temperature controls.

---

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.