sigh

American  

[sahy] / saɪ /

verb (used without object)

1. to let out one's breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief.

2. to yearn or long; pine.

3. to make a sound suggesting a sigh.

   sighing wind.

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verb (used with object)

1. to express or utter with a sigh.

2. to lament with sighing.

noun

1. the act or sound of sighing.

sigh British  

/ saɪ /

verb

1. (intr) to draw in and exhale audibly a deep breath as an expression of weariness, despair, relief, etc

2. (intr) to make a sound resembling this

   trees sighing in the wind

3. to yearn, long, or pine

4. (tr) to utter or express with sighing

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noun

1. the act or sound of sighing

Usage

What does sigh mean? Sigh, an audible exhalation, conveys a broad range of emotions from sadness and disappointment to sarcasm and relief. People frequently write it out online to express such sentiments.

Other Word Forms

• outsigh verb (used with object)
• sigher noun
• unsighing adjective

Etymology

Origin of sigh

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb sighen, back formation from sihte “sighed,” past tense of Middle English siken, sichen “to sigh, moan,” Old English sīcan “to sigh, groan, long for”; noun derivative of the verb

Example Sentences

She says he's inquisitive about "what the big milestones are, what the risky parts are, when he can sigh a sigh of relief, when he needs to be glued to the TV".

From BBC

Mom takes her mother’s name tag from her pocket and studies it, then sighs and hands it to Maggie.

From Literature

He keeps his eyes trained on the water while he nods and sighs a sigh that I know means he’s not okay.

From Literature

He sighed and set it down, looking around for another source of comfort.

From Literature

"I can't imagine how helpless people must have been," she said between heavy sighs, adding: "I really regret that I didn't knock on a single door."

From Barron's

Related Words

• cry
• exhale
• gasp
• groan
• howl
• moan
• murmur
• sob
• whisper
• whistle