yawning 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of yawningnext
1
as in nodding

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in gaping

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

yawning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of yawn
as in snoring

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of yawning
Adjective
Yet the shooting also divided the American public in ways that many found disturbing, including a yawning lack of empathy for the victim and even cheering for the shooter. — Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024 In Palm Beach County, Ian's yawning reach spun up four tornadoes. — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2023 But McNamara obtained the transcripts and discovered yawning contradictions. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2022 Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York may be at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, but a more yawning gap between figures in the party has existed before. — John Dickerson, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yawning
  1. nodding
  2. gaping
  3. snoring
  4. sleeping
  5. wide
  6. sniffing
  7. gasping
  8. panting
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    — Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Definition of nodding
Adjective
  • This is the most gaping vacancy of all—Trump gestures toward two American incitements, one historic, one extremely recent.
    — Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Waldo’s digital shopping cart — and McCurdy’s brusque descriptions of her late-night binges — highlight the gaping, cavernous maw of her wants.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of gaping
Verb
  • Mainly looking to drown out a snoring partner, a barking dog or an overactive brain?
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Pick sleep earbuds, played at safe volume, if your issue is outside noise or a snoring partner.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of snoring
Adjective
  • An autopsy showed that the infant died from asphyxiation secondary to a co-sleeping/overlay event with an unsafe sleeping environment.
    — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of sleeping
Adjective
  • There’s a wide array of highly capable performance cars available at this price point, many of which offer eye-watering output and acceleration figures.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Advertisement The protests are also occurring amid a wider crisis of political confidence in the country.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of wide
Verb
  • Eventually, Bird’s film — with a script co-written by Matthew Robbins — gets to the meat of the action when Venus’ extremely complicated life runs smack into Ray and his knack for sniffing out bad guys.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In the doorframe was the manager, sniffing around, suspicions aroused.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sniffing
Verb
  • Abrams does yeoman’s work with a character stuck in a tight spot for most of the running time, constantly grunting and gasping with a mixture of anguish and exhaustion as his body gets progressively more beat up and broken.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Judy lit his cigarette and sucked on it as if gasping for air.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gasping
Verb
  • Like some of the music, the album artwork also pays homage to the animal world and our interconnectedness—the abstract piece offers a single line drawing that weaves in outlines of a panting dog, screeching cat, stoic bunny, and wise owl.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The delivery person added that none of the canines appeared to have access to food or sufficient water, and that all the animals were panting.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of panting

Browse Nearby Words

yawners
yawning
yawns
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yawning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yawning. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on yawning

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about yawning

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All