yap

1 of 2

verb

ˈyap 

yapped; yapping

intransitive verb

1

: to talk in a shrill insistent way : chatter

2

: to bark snappishly : yelp

yapper noun

yap

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a quick sharp bark : yelp

b

: shrill insistent talk : chatter

2

: an unsophisticated, ignorant, or uncouth person : bumpkin

3

slang : mouth

Synonyms

Noun

• chops
• gob [chiefly British]
• kisser [slang]
• mouth
• mug
• piehole [slang]
• trap [slang]

Examples of yap in a Sentence

Verb

The dog was yapping all night.

Kids were yapping in the back of the room.

She seems to spend all her time yapping on the phone.

Noun

I heard yaps coming from the yard.

a dope with a talent for opening his yap at exactly the wrong moment

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

First, don’t stress—half the beauty of this type of conversation is embracing the casual, spontaneous nature of…well, yapping away about whatever comes to mind! —Anna Borges, SELF, 17 July 2024

Oh my God, is Aaron Erb still yapping about Devin stealing Jenn on the date? —Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 16 July 2024

Noun

Your new best friend will thank you—in licks, tail wags, and happy yaps, of course. —Clarissa Schmidt, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2024

No texting, no soda-sucking, and no chatter, save for a thoughtful yap every now and then. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Verb

imitative

First Known Use

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

yap

1 of 2 verb

ˈyap 

yapped; yapping

1

: to bark in yaps : yelp

2

: to talk sharply or continuously

yap

2 of 2 noun

: a quick shrill bark : yelp

Geographical Definition

Yap

geographical name

ˈyap 

ˈyäp

variants or Uap

ˈwäp 

islands in the western Carolines population 11,377

Note: The Yap Islands are part of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Yapese

ya-ˈpēz 

yä-

-ˈpēs

adjective