To yell means to shout loudly, usually with strong emotion. When you yell, you project your voice with force, often because you're excited, angry, frightened, or trying to get someone's attention from far away.

You might yell to warn a friend who's about to step into the street without looking, or yell in excitement when your team scores the winning goal. A coach might yell instructions from the sidelines so players can hear over crowd noise. Sometimes people yell when they're frustrated or upset, though yelling in anger can hurt feelings and make problems worse.

The word can also be used as a noun: a yell is the loud shout itself, like a battle yell or a yell of surprise. Sports teams often have special cheers called yells that fans shout together to show support.

Yelling is different from simply speaking loudly. When you yell, you're pushing your voice to its limits, which can tense your throat and body. While yelling serves important purposes (like getting help in an emergency or celebrating a big moment), constantly yelling at people tends to make them stop listening.