Word: yield

Associations

Yield means to produce or give way to something. It can also mean to surrender or submit.

• Example 1: The farm will yield a lot of crops this year. (This means the farm will produce many crops.)
• Example 2: After a long debate, he decided to yield to her opinion. (This means he submitted or agreed to her opinion.)
• Example 3: The investment is expected to yield a 10% return. (This means the investment will produce profits.)

A well-known synonym is "produce," but "yield" often carries an implication of giving way or surrendering that "produce" doesn't have.

Substitution

In place of "yield," you could use:

• "produce" – This is more direct but does not imply surrender.
• "submit" – This works if you're talking about giving up an argument or claim.
• "give way" – This implies letting something else take precedence.

Deconstruction

The word "yield" comes from the Old English "gieldan," which means to pay, give, or produce.

• There are no prefixes or suffixes in this word, making it straightforward.
• It has been used in contexts related to agriculture (producing crops) and finance (earning returns) throughout history.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you had to yield your opinion to someone else? What happened?
• In what situations do you think yield might be used in a business context?
• How about in a personal relationship? Can yielding be positive?