Expressed boredom (6) Crossword Clue
Answer: YAWNED (6 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Expressed boredom" with 6 letters is "YAWNED". "YAWNED" refers to the act of expressing boredom or tiredness, typically by opening the mouth wide and inhaling deeply.
Why “Yawned” Fits
The clue asks for a 6-letter verb meaning “expressed boredom.” The answer, YAWNED, fits perfectly:
- Expressed boredom: "Yawned" is the past tense of “yawn,” which describes the involuntary act of opening one’s mouth wide and inhaling deeply—often as a physical manifestation of tiredness or, crucially, of boredom. In social contexts or conversation, to say someone “yawned” is to say they signaled disengagement, lack of interest, or sleepiness.
- Direct match: Yawning is the universal, visible response to long speeches, dull meetings, or uninspiring events—making “yawned” a literal and figurative signal for boredom.
This plain English verb is the textbook, direct answer for a clue connecting physical action and emotional state.
Yawning links biological reflex with social meaning:
- Origins and usage: While physiologically a yawn increases oxygen intake and helps cool the brain, in conversation, “he yawned” strongly signals boredom or lack of excitement. This dual meaning is why the word features in both medical and emotional vocabularies.
- Metaphorical uses: “Yawned” doesn’t only reflect fatigue. In literature and speech, it can mean any lack of animation or attention—“The audience yawned at the late-night comedy.”
- Related clues: Synonyms sometimes used in crosswords include “nodded” (off), “dozed,” “gaped,” or “drifted” (off)—but “yawned” is the most on-the-nose.
"Yawned" bridges the clue’s requirements for physical demonstration and emotional detachment.
In quick crosswords, clues like “expressed boredom (6)”:
- Direct you to simple, familiar, physical-action verbs describing obvious reactions—“yawned” being a top choice for both visual and emotional clues.
- Six-letter past tense matches “yawned” perfectly, making it an easy grid fit, especially with “boredom” in the clue.
- Situational clues (meetings, lectures, performances) usually hint at bodily reactions or facial expressions as the solution.
Spotting the reaction and word length immediately leads to “yawned.”
