Yomp means: To make a strenuous long-distance march.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. 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.
yomp
To make a strenuous long-distance march.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1980 · no dated citations yetGen X eraSee decade cohort →
Definitions
Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global
(Royal Marines, _, military slang) A long-distance march carrying full kit.
Origin: 1980s British military slang. origin. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Yomp means: A long-distance march carrying full kit.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. 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
yomp means: A long-distance march carrying full kit.. Register: informal, military jargon. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
Global
#1·Apr 27, 2026Global
To make a strenuous long-distance march.
For parents
Yomp means: To make a strenuous long-distance march.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. 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
yomp means: To make a strenuous long-distance march.. Register: neutral, standard English. 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. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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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.
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