What does yakked mean?
Yakked is the simple past tense and past participle of yak, an informal verb meaning to talk at length or chatter. It is generally used to describe someone who has continued speaking, often with the implication that the listener is bored, irritated, or unimpressed. The word can occasionally be neutral, but it more commonly carries a mildly negative or impatient tone. Both the verb and its past form belong primarily to spoken, informal English rather than formal prose. In a sentence such as “They yakked until the meeting ended,” the word emphasizes the length of the conversation rather than the quality of what was said. Unlike verbs such as explained or narrated, which focus on the subject matter, yakked focuses on prolonged talking and may suggest that the speaker was not giving everyone an equal opportunity to contribute. It should not be confused with yoked, which means joined together and can refer figuratively to marriage.
verbTo talk at length, especially in a way that is uninteresting, irritating, or excessive to the listener.
- To talk or chatter at length, often implying that the listener is bored, irritated, or unimpressed.
"They yakked on the phone until the train reached the next station."
"He yakked for nearly an hour without once asking what I thought."
"The candidates yakked in the studio while the moderator struggled to move the discussion forward."
Yakked means you talked at length; yoked can mean you got married. A small spelling difference makes quite a difference to the wedding story.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does yakked come from?
Yakked is formed by adding the regular past-tense suffix -ed to yak, with the final consonant doubled before the suffix. The informal verb yak means to talk or chatter at length. The exact origin of this verbal use is unclear, and it should not automatically be equated with the separate word for the shaggy Himalayan bovine.
Related word forms
How yakked is actually used
Informal and often mildly dismissive or impatient. It is common in conversational English but usually unsuitable for formal writing.
Easily confused with yakked
Yakked means talked at length, whereas yoked means joined together, especially by a yoke or, figuratively, in marriage.