Yay
What it means
A cheerful cry of pleasure, approval, or triumph.
Reach for it when capturing a light spontaneous celebration in informal speech
A bright yay followed the news that the pool would reopen.
Words to choose between 6
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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playful
Fits when a full celebratory exclamation suits the moment
Careful Hooray feels more announced and less quick than a small yay.
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everyday
whoop
Fits when the sound is loud and wordless
Careful A whoop conveys excitement but not necessarily approval.
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warm
Fits when support comes from a person or crowd
Careful A cheer can encourage someone before success rather than celebrate afterward.
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formal
Fits when skilled performance has earned acclaim
Careful Bravo evaluates achievement and is too specific for welcome personal news.
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literary
Fits when old-fashioned festive force is intentional
Careful Hurrah can sound theatrical in ordinary conversation.
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literary
Fits when historical or comic pageantry is part of the fun
Careful Huzzah draws attention to its antique style.
Opposites 3
- boo
- groan
- lament
Common phrases 3
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little yay
A little yay escaped when the final test turned green.
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collective yay
The collective yay carried across the playground.
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give a yay
We can give a yay for the volunteers without ignoring the work ahead.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated