This post holds a list of positive words that start with Y.
Yippee! Yeehaw! Yahoo!
Y is one of the rarest letters of the alphabet, but that’s why positive words that start with Y are so much fun.
They cover a wide range of moods, concepts, and expressions. They’re also quite linguistically interesting. Many of our favorite Y words have origins in languages other than English.
Do you have a yen for unique turns of phrase? Do you like to yakety-yak with words that others have never heard before?
Don’t be a yellow-bellied devil: Use the following list of words to augment your speaking, get more creative with your writing, and stretch your vocabulary to almost the very end of the alphabet.
Let’s dive right in to Y words that are positive!
Positive Words That Start with Y to Describe a Person
There aren’t many Y words that mean something nice like “pretty” or “funny.” If you want to compliment someone, you’ll need to go beyond the generic and into the quirky and unusual.
Instead of calling someone strong, for example, you might say that they’re built like a yak.
If they’re wise, they are your own personal Yoda. You can describe a clever employee as a “yakuza of business” or a compassionate friend as a “yogi of the soul.”
If you want to get really creative, call someone a yokozuna or a grand champion sumo wrestler! They can be a yokozuna of art, finance, corporate strategy, or whatever else their area of expertise may be.
Here are just a few adjectives that start with Y to describe a person positively. Have fun with them!
- Yearning
- Young
- Youthful
- Youngster
- Yakuza
- Yarner
- Yeoman
- Yeomanly
- Yeasayer
- Yogi
- Yak
- Yardbird
- Yaffer
- Yokefellow
- Yager
- Yiddish
- Yukking
- Youngling
- Yankee
- Yielding
- Yieldable
- Yoda
- Yokozuna
Positive Verbs & Action Words That Start with Y
There’s no shortage of Y verbs, but some are more commonplace than others.
For example, while you might know plenty of people who yammer on, finding those who can yomp might be a challenge.
Another fun fact about Y verbs is that many of them are anarchic, foreign, or flexible in ways that you wouldn’t expect.
“Yacht” is a normal noun, but you’ll hear it less often as a verb; this is despite the fact that both forms are grammatically fine.
“Yell” is nominally a negative word, but you can turn it positive with a context like “yelling in triumph.”
All in all, these positive “Y” words should give you something to chew on. Liven up your action words today!
- Yip
- Yearn
- Youthify
- Yawn
- Yell
- Yock
- Yomp
- Yacht
- Yok
- Yeast
- Yoik
- Yead
- Yaw
- Yak
- Yarn
- Yabber
- Yank
- Yuppify
- Yodel
- Yote
- Yarl
- Yammer
- Yo-yo
- Yeehaw
- Yoke
Positive Adjectives That Start with Y
When looking at positive descriptive words that start with Y, you’ll quickly realize that some are better suited for objects and actions rather than human beings.
A task can be yearly, but a person can’t. A person can be yummy, but you’ll need to be careful when delivering that compliment…
Otherwise, however, feel free to make use of these Y adjectives in whatever contexts that you please.
Maybe you can create affirmations centered around yin and yang. Maybe you can describe your next party as “yarely” rather than just “lively.”
There are also good old-fashioned Y words like yellow that you can utilize in everything from fashion to fiction. Have at it!
- Yellow
- Yummy
- Yonder
- Yule
- Yaupon
- Yogic
- Yearly
- Yearlong
- Year-end
- Yucca
- Yapock
- Yestreen
- Yeasty
- Yin
- Yang
- Yardarm
- Yocking
- Yogurty
- Yuletide
- Yon
- Ywis
- Ycleped
- Yarely
- Yew
Encouraging Words That Start with Y
You’ll find plenty of inspirational words that start with Y. The same goes for phrases:
- The best is yet to come.
- Say “yes” more often.
- Yesterday might be gone, but today is a new day.
Y can also be a treasure trove if you enjoy rare puzzles of words. You could easily win a game of Scrabble with something like “yurt” (a round tent used in the mountains of Asia) or “yohimbine” (a natural compound known for its aphrodisiac qualities).
You might even inspire others to go dictionary diving for their own stumpers.
Long story short, don’t be afraid to play around with Y words. You never know when inspiration will strike!
- You
- Year
- Yet
- Yearbook
- Yarrow
- Yardstick
- Yen
- Yahoo
- Yatter
- Yurt
- Ylem
- Yachtsman
- Yohimbine
- Yokking
- Yump
- Yay
- Yeti
- Yarmulke
- Yellowwood
- Yellowhammer
- Yagi
- Yolk
- Yardmaster
- Yourself
- Yesterday
Powerful Words That Start With Y
This is our last category of positive words beginning with Y. While we’ve selected them for things like rarity, usability, and overall desirability, we also have to admit that some of them have been included in the list “just because.”
Y words are so fun and full of potential that it’s hard to ignore them even when they don’t fit a particular theme!
Who can resist yataghan—a Turkish sword with a double-curved blade? Or what about yakitori—a delicious Japanese dish comprised of skewered meats and sauces? Let’s eat!
Consider this our final farewell to the second-to-last letter of the alphabet.
We’ve got nouns, adjectives, and adverbs alike, including some just plain good words that start with Y.
- Yes
- Yantra
- Yoga
- Yearnings
- Yataghan
- Yuppie
- Yuan
- Yeave-ho
- Yardwand
- Yakitori
- Yeomanry
- Yeaner
- Yeshiva
- Yakety-yak
- Yawping
- Yippee
- Yottabyte
- Yokel
- Youngberry
- Yesteryear
- Yashmac
- Yerba
- Yamen
- YOLO
Our A to Z Positive Word Database
Want more positive words? Check out these other lists of words for every letter of the alphabet. More coming soon!
- Positive “A” Words
- Positive “B” Words
- Positive “C” Words
- Positive “D” Words
- Positive “E” Words
- Positive “F” Words
- Positive “G” Words
- Positive “H” Words
- Positive “I” Words
- Positive “J” Words
- Positive “K” Words
- Positive “L” Words
- Positive “M” Words
- Positive “N” Words
- Positive “O” Words
- Positive “P” Words
- Positive “Q” Words
- Positive “R” Words
- Positive “S” Words
- Positive “T” Words
- Positive “U” Words
- Positive “V” Words
- Positive “W” Words
- Positive “X” Words
- Positive “Y” Words
- Positive “Z” Words
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