Yea
What it means
In the affirmative or in support of a formal proposal.
Reach for it when recording a supporting vote or using deliberately archaic emphasis
All twelve members voted yea on the playground repair.
Words to choose between 5
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
-
everyday
in favor
Fits when support rather than the spoken vote itself is the point
Careful In favor is a phrase describing position and cannot replace yea in a formal tally.
-
everyday
Fits when ordinary affirmation is intended
Careful Yes is natural in conversation, while yea is chiefly formal, archaic, or voting language.
-
professional
affirmatively
Fits when the manner of a response should be stated analytically
Careful Affirmatively is not itself a natural substitute in a recorded vote.
-
formal
aye
Fits when a traditional spoken vote or nautical response is meant
Careful Aye is institutionally and regionally marked and can sound theatrical elsewhere.
-
literary
indeed
Fits when emphatic confirmation rather than voting is intended
Careful Indeed confirms a statement but does not always answer yes.
Opposites 3
- nay
- no
- negatively
Common phrases 3
-
vote yea
Representatives may vote yea only after every amendment is published.
-
yea or nay
Each member must answer yea or nay for the public record.
-
all in favor say yea
The chair asked, "All in favor say yea," after reading the final wording.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Yea is uncommon outside formal voting and archaic or biblical phrasing.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated