# Yup

/ˈjəp/ (US) · /jˈʌp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yup
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. yes

interjection · CEFR A2 · Informal

a casual way to say yes.

For teachers: an informal affirmative response used in spoken or casual written English.

- "Are you coming to the party tonight?" "Yup, I'll be there around eight."
- When asked if he had finished the report, he simply replied with a casual "yup" before returning to his coffee.

Usage: Commonly used in text messages and relaxed conversation; less formal than 'yeah'.

### 2. an affirmative answer

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

the word 'yes' used as a noun.

For teachers: the act of saying 'yup' or an instance of an informal affirmative reply.

- I was hoping for a yup, but she just shook her head.
- The negotiator was looking for a definitive yup from the other side, but the response remained frustratingly vague.

### 3. a young professional

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a short way to say 'yuppie' — a young person with a good job who lives in a city.

For teachers: a clipping of 'yuppie', referring to a young urban professional with an affluent lifestyle.

- The neighborhood has changed and is now full of yups and expensive cafes.
- The marketing campaign was specifically designed to appeal to the yups moving into the newly gentrified downtown lofts.

Teaching tip: This sense is less common than the interjection and can sometimes be used in a slightly negative or mocking way.

## Examples

- Yup, I'll be there in five minutes.
- When I asked if he had finished the report, he just gave a quick 'yup' and kept typing.
- While a formal 'yes' might have felt too stiff for the occasion, his casual 'yup' signaled that he was comfortable with the proposed plan.

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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.