yessir

Examples

• All

• We both said "yessir" at the same time, and the captain patted Larry's shoulder and left us.

  Academic text (1997)

• "When the sergeant ordered the troops to stand down, they all nodded and said, 'Yessir.'"

• "Yessir." "You want to meet someone who served with him?"

  Fiction book (1991)

• Yessir, they love this club here in Cleveland.

  Major League (1989)

• "Well, yessir, I can see that," the kid said, looming over him in the darkness.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Well, yessir, boss.

  9/11 (2017)

• Yessir, nothin' like a good day of fishin' to make a man feel like a man.

  Gable and Lombard (1976)

• "That's where I'm from, yessir, many years ago, though," he said thoughtfully.

  Fiction book (1993)

• "Yessir!" Mart said.

  Fiction book (1997)

• Although Uncle Lofton had raised us never to say "yessir" and "no sir" to white people, I could not help myself from saying it to this little man, who for his part seemed astonished that I regarded him as a subject worthy of such respect.

  Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

Y

yeah

vsyessir

• Informal

∞ 5.6

A casual way to say yes to show agreement

is more deferential and implies readiness to obey an authority

Y

yes

vsyessir

∞ 1.0

An answer that shows agreement or permission

is informal and adds respectful readiness to follow orders

Y

yep

vsyessir

• Informal

761 7.7

A casual way to say yes when speaking

is more polite and signals willingness to comply with requests

A

aye

vsyessir

• Formal

353 7.3

To say yes when people vote

is informal and instead expresses respectful readiness to follow an authority

Y

yah

vsyessir

• Informal

92 8.7

A casual way to say yes or show that you agree

is used to show polite agreement and readiness to follow commands

A

affirmative

vsyessir

• Formal

45 4.4

A word or statement that shows agreement, like yes

is informal and used to show respect and obey an authority's instruction

Y

yeh

vsyessir

• Informal

25 9.7

A casual way to say yes or agree

is more polite and suggests obedience to a higher person's request

Y

yeah-huh

vsyessir

• Informal

16 9.9

A short casual reply showing weak agreement or that you heard someone

is a reply that instead signals respect and willingness to follow instruction

S

siree

vsyessir

• Archaic

7 9.9

A strong, old-fashioned way to say yes to show you mean it

is used to show respectful obedience rather than merely emphasis

Y

yuh

vsyessir

• Informal

4 9.9

A casual way to say yes or show you agree

is more deferential and shows willingness to obey an authority's order

O

oke

vsyessir

• Slang

2 9.9

Approval or permission to start

is about respectful readiness to obey an authority's instruction

Y

yup

vsyessir

• Informal

1 8.2

A short casual word people use to say yes

is used to show respectful agreement and readiness to obey orders

Antonyms

N

nope

• Informal

414 7.7

A casual spoken way to say no

How Affirmative

yessir

• Informal

4 8.9

yes

∞ 1.0

yeah

• Informal

∞ 5.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology