40 Verbs That Start with Y [with Definitions and Examples]

As you may know, there are only a few verbs that start with Y. The lack of verbs starting with Y is due to the fact that Y, as a consonant, does not have a distinct sound when it comes at the beginning of a consonant cluster especially when that consonant cluster is used at the start of a word. Hence, in English language, the list of verbs that start with Y is very short.

Y is the twenty-fifth letter in the English alphabet. It is sometimes considered a vowel. In words like year, yell, and yes, the Y is a consonant. In words like cry, fly, and sky, the Y is considered a vowel.

In British English, most of the verbs beginning with Y have become archaic and obsolete and are no longer in use these days. On the other hand, Scottish English has retained a lot of verbs that start with Y and are used a lot in their verbal communication. Some of the verbs given in this article have become obsolete in British English but are used in Scottish English and Australian English. Another interesting fact is that there are hardly any verbs that start with Y to describe a person, but instead, most of these verbs are onomatopoeic in nature and represent different human sounds. Now let’s go through categories of verbs starting with Y that have been arranged in the order of frequency of their usage.

Table of Contents

Verbs That Start with Y You Always Use

There are various verbs that you use in your day-to-day life, whether it is inwriting or speaking. These are some of the verbs that start with Y that you use regularly.

1. Yell

Definition: to raise your voice and shout
Synonyms: bawl, bellow, yowl

Example: She yelled at her husband.

2. Yack

Definition: to talk incessantly and tiresomely about trivial or boring subjects
Synonyms: gab, jaw, yap

Example: She wondered what he was yacking about.

3. Yelp

Definition: to utter a short, sharp cry or bark
Synonyms: yowl, hoot, yip

Example: The puppies were yelping.

4. Yammer

Definition: to talk continuously for a long time in a way that is annoying to other people
Synonyms: babble, chatter, yap
Example: She never stops yammering about that dog of hers.

5. Yawn

Definition: to open your mouth widely and breathe in because you’re tired
Synonyms: snooze, drowse, gape
Example: I can’t stop yawning – I must be tired.

Verbs That Start with Y You Usually Use

Verbs are the building blocks of phrases, clauses and sentences; they are needed for the creation of a complete thought. The following is a list of verbs starting with Y that we usually use in our everyday lives.

1. Yak

Definition: to talk for a long time about unimportant matters or without achieving anything
Synonyms: babble, blather, chat
Example: She was yakking away about her grandchildren.

2. Yank

Definition: to pull something forcefully with a quick movement
Synonyms: jerk, pluck, snatch
Example: He turned the handle and yanked the door open.

3. Yap

Definition: to make a sharp, shrill bark or yelp
Synonyms: yelp, yip, woof
Example: The dachshunds yapped at his heels.

4. Yellow

Definition: to become yellow, often due to age
Synonyms: blanch, tinge, age

Example: The white stationery had yellowed with age.

5. Yowl

Definition: to make a long, high, unhappy cry, usually when hurt or fighting
Synonyms: bawl, bay, wail
Example: I was woken up by cats yowling outside my window.

Verbs That Start with Y You Often Use

Verbs are an inseparable part of our everyday practice. We cannot even imagine speaking, writing or reading without these verbs. Following are some of verbs starting with Y that are often put to use.

1. Yip

Definition: to emit a yelp
Synonyms: bark, bay, growl
Example: The winner yipped with glee.

2. Yandy

Definition: To separate (grain or pieces of mineral) by shaking in a special shallow dish
Synonyms: churn, segregate, shudder,
Example: Micheal was yandying cereals in the kitchen.

3. Yarn

Definition: to tell a long or implausible story
Synonyms: babble, blather
Example: They were yarning about local legends and superstitions.

4. Yaw

Definition: to swerve off course momentarily

Synonyms: deflect, deviate, stray
Example: The ship yawed when the huge waves hit it.

5. Yark

Definition: to talk rubbish
Synonyms: slobber, dribble, jabber
Example: Is it true you were yarking about Jill?

Verbs That Start with Y You Sometimes Use

In both our verbal and written communications, we use some verbs more than the others. These are some of the verbs beginning with Y that are not used on a regular basis in our daily life routine.

1. Yarm

Definition: to utter a discordant cry
Synonyms: whine, moan, whimper

Example: A pack of coyotes was heard yammering at night.

2. Yead

Definition: to proceed, move on, or pass away
Synonyms: continue, advance, march
Example: Come on, let’s yead.

3. Yoke

Definition: to be associated or joined
Synonyms: fasten, join, secure
Example: Two oxen yoked to a plough walked wearily up and down the field.

4. Yard

Definition: to gather together into a yard
Synonyms: assemble, congregate, meet
Example: The deer are yarding up in their winter grounds.

5. Yabber

Definition: to talk or utter rapidly, indistinctly, incoherently, and nonsensically
Synonyms: chatter, babble
Example: What is he yabbering about?

Verbs That Start with Y You Occasionally Use

There are certain verbs that we only use in a specific situation to a specific person. These are some of the verb words that start with Y that are occasionally used in our writing and communication.

1. Yo-yo

Definition: to move up and down; fluctuate
Synonyms: oscillate, swing, fluctuate

Example: Popularity polls yo-yo up and down with the flow of events.

2. Yaup

Definition: to make a raucous noise
Synonyms: squawk, clamor, complain
Example: Don’t yaup over spilled milk; just clean it up.

3. Yawl

Definition: to howl, weep, or scream harshly
Synonyms: roar, ululate, wail
Example: He was yawling for no apparent reason.

4. Yux

Definition: to sob or hiccough
Synonyms: whimper, wail, blubber
Example: He yuxed and spoke through the nose.

5. Youl

Definition: to yell
Synonyms: shriek, squawk, scream
Example: He was seen youling at the kids.

Verbs That Start with Y You Seldom Use

While going through a written piece or while listening to a person talking, you often come across verbs that you haven’t heard of a lot. Below is a list of verbs that start with the letter Y that are seldom used.

1. Yawp

Definition: to shout or exclaim hoarsely

Synonyms: grizzle, whine, yammer
Example: The fans screeched, yawped, and pounded their palms.

2. Yean

Definition: (of sheep) to give birth to a lamb
Synonyms: born, appear, bud
Example: The other day a lamb was yeaned.

3. Yarn-dye

Definition: to dye before weaving or knitting
Synonyms: stain, tint, color
Example: All the fabrics were yarn-dyed last Saturday.

4. Yeast

Definition: to ferment or froth
Synonyms: brew, froth, churn
Example: The mixture of flour and water was yeasted to form bread.

5. Yerk

Definition: to strike sharply, especially with a stick or whip; thrash or flog
Synonyms: whip, lash, spank
Example: Nine, or ten times I had thought to have yerked him here under the ribs.

Verbs That Start with Y You Rarely Use

There are some verbs that are much complicated or just less common than the rest. That’s why there are some Y-verbs that are rarely used, and some of those are listed below.

1. Yeuk

Definition: to itch, irritate the skin
Synonyms: scratch, tingle
Example: He was yeuking with some discomfort.

2. Yend

Definition: to throw; to cast
Synonyms: bung, chuck, hurl
Example: The knight yended the sword far out into the lake.

3. Yock

Definition: to laugh or joke, especially boisterously
Synonyms: snicker, giggle, grin

Example: He kept them yocking.

4. Yuk

Definition: to joke or laugh exuberantly
Synonyms: chaff, banter, gambol
Example: The audience really yukked it up at the movie.

5. Yeve

Definition: to grant, provide, or bestow.
Synonyms: grant, donate, allot
Example: Please yeve him some money to buy some food.

Positive Verbs That Start with Y

There are some positive verbs that both carry and spread positivity and also describe your skills, results, and accomplishments. These are some of the positive verbs that start with G that you should have at your disposal.

1. Yearn

Definition: to desire something strongly
Synonyms: crave, desire, hanker

Example: Sometimes I just yearn to be with her.

2. Yodel

Definition: to sing or call with abrupt alternating changes between a normal chest register and falsetto

Synonyms: sing, carol, shout
Example: They had learned how to drop into the lake, yodelling like Tarzan.

3. Yacht

Definition: to cruise, race, sail or travel in a yacht
Synonyms: boat, ship, canoe
Example: He was yachting in high waters.

4. Yen

Definition: to have a desire for something or someone who is not present
Synonyms: ache, crave, desire
Example: She was yenning for her lover.

5. Yield

Definition: to produce or provide a natural, agricultural, or industrial product
Synonyms: generate, provide, give
Example: This year’s crop yielded 1,000 bushels of corn.

Verbs That Start with Y – Full List (40 words)

Yell
Yack
Yelp
Yammer
Yawn
Yak
Yank
Yap
Yellow
Yowl
Yip
Yandy
Yarn
Yaw
Yark
Yarm
Yead
Yoke
Yard
Yabber
Yo-yo
Yaup
Yawl
Yux
Youl
Yawp
Yean
Yarn-dye
Yeast
Yerk
Yeuk
Yend
Yock
Yuk
Yeve
Yearn
Yodel
Yacht
Yen
Yield

Final Thoughts on Verbs That Start with Y

Thank you for avidly reading this article. It is hoped that you would have learnt something new about the use of verbs while reading this article. By now you would have known that verbs starting with Y are very rare. By inserting such verbs beginning with Y in the phrases, clauses and sentences you utter will bring you great success. Another benefit of using verbs starting with Y in your daily life routine is that not only will it make you stand apart from the rest but will also add completeness, compactness and denseness to your overall personality. In short, this article will undoubtedly help you improve your English skills and clear up any confusion you might have over the use of verbs beginning with Y in your writings and interactions.