yank

1 of 3

verb

yanked; yanking; yanks

intransitive verb

: to pull on something with a quick vigorous movement

transitive verb

1
: to pull or extract with a quick vigorous movement
2
: to remove in or as if in an abrupt manner
yanked the story from the evening edition

yank

2 of 3

noun (1)

: a strong sudden pull : jerk

Yank

3 of 3

noun (2)

: yankee

Examples of yank in a Sentence

Verb He yanked the door shut. She yanked on the dog's leash. Noun (1) had to give the shoe a good yank to get it off
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
When the river ice breaks up enough for the tripod to fall in, the cable yanks on the clock, stopping it. Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024 Players on some teams will yank a flag (the equivalent of a tackle) hanging from the belt around an opponent’s waist and either drop it or emphatically throw it to the turf. Eileen T. Meslar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
The resulting specs: 434 ponies and 525 lb-ft of yank. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2024 With tugs and yanks and positive feedback, a planetary makeover began that is rampant today. Stephen Pyne, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for yank 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1822, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yank was in 1778

Dictionary Entries Near yank

Cite this Entry

“Yank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yank. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

yank

1 of 3 noun
: a strong sudden pull : jerk

yank

2 of 3 verb
: to pull suddenly or forcefully

Yank

3 of 3 noun
: yankee

More from Merriam-Webster on yank

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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