: to open the mouth wide and take a deep breath usually as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom. yawn. 2 of 2 noun. : an opening of the mouth wide while taking a deep breath often as an involuntary reaction to fatigue or boredom.

Yawing clearly is associated with sleepiness and boredom. However, almost paradoxically, it is theorized that yawning is not a sign of sleepiness or boredom, but actually a reflex that your brain induces to wake you up or make you more alert.

Theory #3: Contagious Yawning Is Linked to Empathy Skills When people see or hear other people yawn, they tend to yawn themselves. Even reading or thinking about yawning can prompt a yawn. The contagiousness of yawning suggests it may be an empathetic response that helps humans and other mammals communicate.

(yɔn ) Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense yawns, present participle yawning, past tense, past participle yawned. intransitive verb. If you yawn, you open your mouth very wide and breathe in more air than usual, often when you are tired or when you are not interested in something.