yeet
/yeet/interjection · verb
Meaning
As a verb, yeet means to throw, hurl, or propel something with force, often with little concern for where it lands or whether it can be recovered. As an interjection, yeet expresses excitement, approval, surprise, or energetic enthusiasm, especially during a dramatic action or humorous moment.[1]
- 1. An exclamation used to show excitement, approval, surprise, triumph, or general enthusiasm.
- 2. To throw or hurl something forcefully, often recklessly or with an implied sense of getting rid of it.
- 3. To move or send someone or something rapidly and forcefully, as in yeet yourself out of here.
Examples
“I missed the trash can, so I had to yeet the cup again.”
“Yeet! The group project is finally over.”
“She yeeted the old pillows into the donation bin.”
“The cat heard the vacuum and yeeted out of the room.”
“That last-second goal was pure yeet.”
Origin and spread
The interjection appears to be the older modern use. Merriam-Webster gives its first known use as 2007 and describes the word's etymology as phonesthemic, meaning it likely developed from a sound associated with a feeling or action rather than from a clearly traceable source word. Early documented online examples from 2008 use yeet as an excited exclamation. Around 2014, Vine videos and related online sharing helped connect the word with forceful throwing and dance-like gestures. The verb is documented later, with Merriam-Webster giving 2017 as its first known use. The older Dorset-dialect word yeet and other similar-looking forms are unrelated precursors, not established sources for the modern slang.
How to use it
Yeet is highly informal and works best in jokes, captions, gaming chat, group messages, and casual conversation. The verb usually adds force, speed, recklessness, or comic disregard to ordinary throwing. The interjection can stand alone or accompany an action. Because the word is intentionally playful, using it in formal writing or serious instructions may sound unserious or dated.
