yuck

Yuck is an interjection in English used to express disgust, aversion, or strong dislike. It is typically informal and common in everyday speech, children’s talk, and media. Spelling variants include yuk and yucky (and sometimes yukky). As a sentence exclamation, it can stand alone, as in “Yuck!”, or be used to describe something, for example “a yucky odor.”

Etymology and origins are generally described as onomatopoeic, mirroring the facial grimace and vocal sound associated with revulsion. The form yuck is well established in American English from the early 20th century, with related variants such as yuk appearing in dialects earlier. Over time, yuck and its variants became standard parts of informal English.

Usage and nuance: yuck conveys mild to moderate disgust and is often tied to taste, smell, appearance, or behavior. It is frequently employed for humorous effect, in storytelling, and in conversations about food or cleanliness. In formal writing, more precise terms like disgust, revolting, or unappealing are usually preferred.

Cultural and linguistic context: as a basic-element expression of disgust, yuck participates in social signaling—indicating personal reaction and shaping group expectations about what is acceptable. The phrase “yuck factor” is used in policy and ethics discussions to describe how disgust can influence judgments about risk, technology, and behavior.

See also: disgust; gross; icky.