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Glite Dictionary
to let out a yawn

to let out a yawn

2.1
To open your mouth and breathe slowly because you feel tired or bored
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : bostezar
  • The child let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes before heading to bed.

Examples

  • He let out a yawn during the meeting.

  • She quietly let out a yawn as midnight approached.

  • He let out a yawn during the long and boring meeting.

  • Don't let out a yawn in class!

  • During the boring lecture, many students let out a yawn, signaling their lack of interest.

  • She couldn't help but let out a yawn when she realized how tired she was after the long day.

  • As the movie dragged on, he let out a yawn, and his friend nudged him to stay awake.

Synonyms

to yawn
vsto let out a yawn
39 1.0

To open your mouth wide and breathe in deeply because you are tired or bored

emphasizes making a sound or showing it openly rather than only the physical action

How Tired

to fall asleep
376 1.0
to doze off
  • Informal
35 2.7
to let out a yawn
2.1
to stretch
185 1.5

Surface Forms

let out a yawn infinitive
let out a yawned past
let out a yawned past participle
letting out a yawn present participle
lets out a yawn third person singular

Morphology

let + out + a + yawn

The meaning 'to yawn' is directly derivable from combining 'let' (allow/release) + 'out' (outward) with 'yawn' (the action), yielding 'emit a yawn'. The construction 'let out a + noun' is a common, productive pattern (compare 'let out a sigh'/'let out a laugh') and is likely inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

The phrase let out a yawn shows a clear picture. To let out means to release, and a yawn is when you open your mouth and let a long breath or a small sound escape, so the phrase means 'to yawn', often making a sound or showing it openly.