What part of speech is “yikes”

'yikes' can be used to signify an expression of surprise, shock, or fear. It is usually used in informal contexts as an interjection to convey surprise or distress.

'Yikes' is usually used to express feelings of shock, surprise, or dread. It can be used as a standalone word, without any preposition or adverb before it. Although it is usually used as an exclamation, it can also be used to replace a stronger word or expletive in casual conversation, e.g. 'Dad, I totaled the car - yikes!', or used to soften the language in certain contexts, e.g. 'Yikes, that was a close call'.

- 'Yikes, I completely forgot about the test this afternoon!'

- 'He got detention? Yikes, his parents won't be happy about that.'

- 'Yikes, that storm last night sure was scary!'

Avoid overusing 'yikes' in your writing; too many exclamations can detract from the intended effect. Make sure to be conscious of the tone you want to convey with 'yikes'. For example, saying 'yikes' in response to a positive event might convey dissatisfaction or scepticism.