Yechy is an informal adjective meaning gross, disgusting, or unappetizing. It means the same thing as yucky, which is much more common.

Yechy is based on yech, which is an informal word you say when you think something is gross or disgusting. Yech means the same thing as yuck, which is much more common. Yech and yuck are interjections, which are terms used to express emotion or indicate how you feel about something, typically outside of a sentence.

Yechy is often used to describe foods that you think are particularly disgusting or unappetizing. It can be used upon actually tasting something or simply upon looking at it, smelling, or maybe even feeling it—you could describe a food as yechy if it feels slimy, for example.

Yechy is also sometimes used to describe other things considered disgusting, such as something filthy or unpleasant weather, as in The humidity is making it really yechy outside. It can also mean just plain bad, as in My day was yechy. 

Example: I’d rather eat my own socks than have even one bite of that yechy broccoli. 

Yechy is an adjective form of the interjection yech. The first written records of yech and yechy come from around the 1960s, but expressions like yech and yuck have certainly been used for much longer. Expressive words like yech (and ew, which is first recorded around the same time) are formed in imitation of the sounds people make in reaction to things. The suffix -y is used to make yechy an adjective.

Yechy is used to describe foods considered disgusting, but it can be used in all kinds of contexts. You could say you’re feeling yechy when you have a bad cold. You could use it to describe something filthy, like the inside of a dumpster, or something really gross, like the smell of someone’s burp (I know—yechy!). Yechy can also be used in other less traditional ways, such as to describe something as extremely unappealing, as in I have to spend the whole weekend doing this yechy homework.

What are some other forms related to yechy?

• yechier (comparative adjective)
• yechiest (superlative adjective)
• yech (interjection, adjective)

What are some synonyms for yechy?

• yucky
• yucko
• icky
• gross
• nasty
• disgusting

What are some words that often get used in discussing yechy?

• food
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• weather
• feeling
• yummy

Yechy is very informal. The word yucky is much more commonly used.

After a long backpacking trip w/ yechy dehydrated food, I am very much into baked goods today :)

— Gigi Stahl (@plangardengal) August 11, 2009

"Felt achy, sort of tired, sluggish, stomach yechy, etc. Psychological?"
Bill Rogers in his log 5 days before winning the Boston marathon.

— Steve Magness (@stevemagness) October 1, 2017

Real yechy day here in New York. I wish all of you raised spirits and warmed heart cockles.

— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) October 27, 2016

Is yechy used correctly in the following sentence?

I’m feeling yechy today so I’m going to take a sick day.