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ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Sigh

/saɪ/ · verb

Meaning

(intransitive) To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like..

Definitions by Sense

  1. (intransitive) To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like.
  2. (intransitive) To lament; to grieve.
  3. (transitive) To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
  4. (intransitive) To make a sound like sighing.
  5. (transitive) To exhale (the breath) in sighs.
  6. (transitive) To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.
  7. A deep, prolonged audible inhale and exhale of breath; as when fatigued, frustrated, grieved, or relieved; the act of sighing.
  8. (figurative) a manifestation of grief; a lament.

Example Sentences

When she saw it wasn't damaged, she sighed with relief.
He sighed. It was going to be a long night.
He sighed over the lost opportunity.
A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed. ‘Civilized,’ he said to Mr. Campion. ‘Humanizing.’ […] ‘Cigars and summer days and women in big hats with swansdown face-powder, that's what it reminds me of.’
He sighed deeply in his spirit.
Ages to come, and men unborn, / Shall bless her name, and sigh her fate.
The lassie had grace given her to refuse, but with a woeful heart, and Heriotside rode off in black discontent, leaving poor Ailie to sigh her love. He came back the next day and the next, but aye he got the same answer.
The wind sighed in the trees.

Synonyms for sigh

suspiresitheyearnaggrievebesorrowcondoledarkenengrieveermegloomgrievegrievenbleedlamentmoanmournremorserepentregretruesighsorrowwaymentafterthinkbecrybegrievebemoanbemournbewailbeweep

Antonyms for sigh

Related Words

breathblastlamentationringbreedinggreedfarmingrushchimeexhalespuffexhaleexhalationsuspiresuspirationlamentmoanhuffsoughsusurration

Word Forms

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does sigh mean?

Sigh means (intransitive) To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like..

What is a synonym for sigh?

Common synonyms include suspire, sithe, yearn, aggrieve.

What is the opposite of sigh?

The opposite depends on the specific sense.

How do you use sigh in a sentence?

When she saw it wasn't damaged, she sighed with relief.

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.