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    <generalInfo reportEndingPeriod="2021-08-31" isReportPeriodLt12="N"/>
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      <investmentCompFileNo>811-02796</investmentCompFileNo>
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      <registrantcity>BOSTON</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>02110</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-MA</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>1-800-225-1581</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="WWW.PUTNAM.COM"/>
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          <officeName>State Street Bank and Trust Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>2 AVENUE DE LAFAYETTE</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>BOSTON</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-MA" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02111</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>1-617-786-3000</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Records include accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Rules promulgated thereunder</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Higgins Michael J.</officeName>
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        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Putnam Investment Management, LLC</officeName>
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        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Putnam Retail Management Limited Partnership</officeName>
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        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Putnam Investor Services, Inc.</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>100 FEDERAL STREET</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>BOSTON</officeCity>
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        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>State Street Bank and Trust Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>225 FRANKLIN STREET</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>BOSTON</officeCity>
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      <isRegistrantLastFiling>Y</isRegistrantLastFiling>
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      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
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          <directorName>Hill Catharine Bond</directorName>
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          <directorName>Joskow Paul L</directorName>
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      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Clark James F</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>N/A</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>100 FEDERAL STREET</ccoStreet1>
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          <ccoStateCountry ccoState="US-MA" ccoCountry="US"/>
          <ccoZipCode>02110</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
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      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isClaimFiled>N</isClaimFiled>
      <coveredByInsurancePolicy isCoveredByInsurancePolicy="Y" isClaimFiledDuringPeriod="N"/>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <releaseNumbers isExemptionFromAct="Y">
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-20851"/>
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      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Putnam Retail Management Limited Partnership</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>8-5088</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000007325</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
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      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>KPMG LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>00185</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>N/A</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-MA" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
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      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isMaterialWeakness>N</isMaterialWeakness>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
      <isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>N</isPaymentErrorInNetAssetValue>
      <isPaymentDividend>N</isPaymentDividend>
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    <managementInvestmentQuestionSeriesInfo>
      <managementInvestmentQuestion>
        <mgmtInvFundName>Putnam High Yield Trust</mgmtInvFundName>
        <mgmtInvSeriesId>S000006135</mgmtInvSeriesId>
        <mgmtInvLei>GQTTKYZ20QJB7WLDXN25</mgmtInvLei>
        <isFirstFilingByFund>N</isFirstFilingByFund>
        <numAuthorizedClass>0</numAuthorizedClass>
        <numAddedClass>0</numAddedClass>
        <numTerminatedClass>0</numTerminatedClass>
        <fundType>N/A</fundType>
        <isNonDiversifiedCompany>N</isNonDiversifiedCompany>
        <isForeignSubsidiary>N</isForeignSubsidiary>
        <isFundSecuritiesLending>N</isFundSecuritiesLending>
        <didFundLendSecurities>N</didFundLendSecurities>
        <paymentToAgentManagerType>N/A</paymentToAgentManagerType>
        <avgPortfolioSecuritiesValue>0.00</avgPortfolioSecuritiesValue>
        <netIncomeSecuritiesLending>0.00</netIncomeSecuritiesLending>
        <relyOnRuleTypes>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 22d-1 (17 CFR 270.22d-1)</relyOnRuleType>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 32a-4 (17 CFR 270.32a-4)</relyOnRuleType>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 12d1-1 (17 CFR 270.12d1-1)</relyOnRuleType>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 17a-6 (17 CFR 270.17a-6)</relyOnRuleType>
          <relyOnRuleType>Rule 17a-7 (17 CFR 270.17a-7)</relyOnRuleType>
        </relyOnRuleTypes>
        <isExpenseLimitationInPlace>N</isExpenseLimitationInPlace>
        <isExpenseReducedOrWaived>N</isExpenseReducedOrWaived>
        <isFeesWaivedRecoupable>N</isFeesWaivedRecoupable>
        <isExpenseWaivedRecoupable>N</isExpenseWaivedRecoupable>
        <investmentAdvisers>
          <investmentAdviser>
            <investmentAdviserName>Putnam Investment Management, LLC</investmentAdviserName>
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            <investmentAdviserCrdNo>000106629</investmentAdviserCrdNo>
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            <investmentAdviserStateCountry investmentAdviserState="US-MA" investmentAdviserCountry="US"/>
            <isInvestmentAdviserHired>N</isInvestmentAdviserHired>
          </investmentAdviser>
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        <transferAgents>
          <transferAgent>
            <transferAgentName>Putnam Investor Services, Inc.</transferAgentName>
            <transferAgentFileNo>84-06331</transferAgentFileNo>
            <transferAgentLei>N/A</transferAgentLei>
            <transferAgentStateCountry transferAgentState="US-MA" transferAgentCountry="US"/>
            <isTransferAgentAffiliated>Y</isTransferAgentAffiliated>
            <isTransferAgentSubAgent>N</isTransferAgentSubAgent>
          </transferAgent>
        </transferAgents>
        <isTransferAgentHiredOrTerminated>N</isTransferAgentHiredOrTerminated>
        <isPricingServiceHiredOrTerminated>N</isPricingServiceHiredOrTerminated>
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          <custodian>
            <custodianName>State Street Bank and Trust Company</custodianName>
            <custodianLei>N/A</custodianLei>
            <custodianStateCountry custodianState="US-MA" custodianCountry="US"/>
            <isCustodianAffiliated>N</isCustodianAffiliated>
            <isSubCustodian>N</isSubCustodian>
            <custodyType>Bank - section 17(f)(1) (15 U.S.C. 80a-17(f)(1))</custodyType>
            <otherCustodianDesc>N</otherCustodianDesc>
          </custodian>
        </custodians>
        <isCustodianHiredOrTerminated>N</isCustodianHiredOrTerminated>
        <shareholderServicingAgents>
          <shareholderServicingAgent>
            <shareholderServiceAgentName>Putnam Investor Services, Inc.</shareholderServiceAgentName>
            <shareholderServiceAgentLei>N/A</shareholderServiceAgentLei>
            <shareholderServiceAgentStateCountry shareholderServiceAgentState="US-MA" shareholderServiceAgentCountry="US"/>
            <isShareholderServiceAgentAffiliated>Y</isShareholderServiceAgentAffiliated>
            <isShareholderServiceAgentSubshare>N</isShareholderServiceAgentSubshare>
          </shareholderServicingAgent>
        </shareholderServicingAgents>
        <isShareholderServiceHiredTerminated>N</isShareholderServiceHiredTerminated>
        <isAdminHiredOrTerminated>N</isAdminHiredOrTerminated>
        <aggregateCommission>0</aggregateCommission>
        <principalAggregatePurchase>0</principalAggregatePurchase>
        <isBrokerageResearchPayment>N</isBrokerageResearchPayment>
        <mnthlyAvgNetAssets>0.00</mnthlyAvgNetAssets>
        <dailyAvgNetAssets>0.00</dailyAvgNetAssets>
        <hasLineOfCredit>N</hasLineOfCredit>
        <isInterfundLending>N</isInterfundLending>
        <isInterfundBorrowing>N</isInterfundBorrowing>
        <isSwingPricing>N</isSwingPricing>
      </managementInvestmentQuestion>
    </managementInvestmentQuestionSeriesInfo>
    <signature registrantSignedName="Putnam High Yield Trust" signedDate="2021-11-08" signature="Janet C. Smith" title="Principal Financial Officer"/>
  </formData>
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