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yield

YEELD /jiːld/

verbnounB1SATTOEFLIELTS

formalneutral

To give way, surrender right-of-way, or slow down to allow other traffic to proceed first.

Focuses on deference and yielding priority rather than stopping completely unless oncoming traffic requires it.

The story behind the word. Tracing back to Old English gieldan, which meant 'to pay, render, or give up', this word originally related to paying taxes or debts. By the Middle Ages it meant surrendering, and when automobiles arrived, road authorities adopted it to designate giving up right-of-way to oncoming vehicles.

Word relationships

concede: Concede implies reluctant yielding, often in arguments or contests.
give way: Give way is the standard British English equivalent for traffic yield.

assert: Assert means demanding or taking priority aggressively.
resist: Resist means refusing to give up priority or position.

Commonly confused with

stop: Stopping requires bringing the vehicle to a complete halt regardless of oncoming traffic, while yielding only requires stopping if traffic is present.

Word family

yielding (adjective): Giving way under pressure or compliant.

Collocations

yield right-of-way
yield to oncoming traffic
yield sign

Idioms & expressions

yield ground

Example sentences

"Drivers entering a roundabout must yield the right of way to vehicles already circulating within it." Official driving handbook (Official Driver Handbook)
"She tapped her brakes to yield to pedestrians stepping onto the crosswalk." Suburban driving

Memory hook

YIELD sounds like 'field'—you pause at the edge of the road field to let others pass. Yield = Give up right-of-way.

When not to use

Do not treat a yield sign as a full stop sign when the road is completely clear of traffic.

Fun facts

The classic upside-down triangular yield sign was designed in 1950 by Tulsa police officer Clinton Riggs.