Yank off means: To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
yank off
To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.
Definitions
Avoid at work
#2·Apr 27, 2026
(UK, Ireland, vulgar) To jack off, to masturbate.
Was this helpful?
Comments
Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
#1·Apr 27, 2026
To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.
For parents
Yank off means: To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
yank off means: To remove something, like a piece of cloth or bread, by tearing it with one quick strong pull.. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: drugs
Was this helpful?
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "yank off".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "yank off" (Y)
Browse all slang words starting with Y.