Yelps are short, sharp cries—the kind a dog makes when startled or hurt, or a person emits in sudden pain or surprise: The puppy let out a series of yelps when I stepped on its paw.
To yelp is to make such a sound.
The word suggests something involuntary and high-pitched, more startled than sustained.
1. canine — bark, Sharp canine vocalization; yip (Short, sharp bark); yap (Bark shrilly or jabber); howl (Prolonged mournful cry); whimper · growl · snarl · whine · yowl · woof · arf · ruff · baying · panting
2. pain — shriek, Shrill, piercing cry; cry (Vocal expression of emotion); scream (Loud sharp cry); squeal (Shrill, piercing cry); howl · wail · ouch · gasp · flinch · wince · startle · shock · stub · sting
3. review — complaint, Expression of discontent; rating (Assigned evaluative score); feedback (Returned response data); criticism (Judgment of faults); grievance · gripe · review · stars · restaurant · business · customer · service · recommendation · testimonial
Opposites
SOUND DURATION AND CONTINUITYyelps ≠ howls Prolonged mournful cries; growls · rumbles · drones · wails · moans
SOUND QUALITY AND PITCHyelps ≠ growls Low threatening vocalizations; rumbles · roars · bellows · snarls · grunts
VOCALIZATION VS. SILENCEyelps ≠ silence Total lack of sound; muteness · quiet · hushes · stillness
Categories
outcries: cries, screams, shouts, yells, howls; involuntary speech: blurting, exclamations, outbursts, Freudian slip, Freudian slips; animal sounds: bark, meow, woof, moo, roar; vocalizations: speak, speaking, talking, whisper, shout
Family
yelp, yelping, yelped, yelper, yelpers
- Familiarity
- Top 100,000
- Profile
- Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G