sigh
Americanverb (used without object)
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to let out one's breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief.
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to yearn or long; pine.
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to make a sound suggesting a sigh.
sighing wind.
verb (used with object)
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to express or utter with a sigh.
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to lament with sighing.
noun
verb
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(intr) to draw in and exhale audibly a deep breath as an expression of weariness, despair, relief, etc
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(intr) to make a sound resembling this
trees sighing in the wind
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to yearn, long, or pine
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(tr) to utter or express with sighing
noun
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
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
Explanation
The sound that you make when you exhale loudly to show frustration, boredom, or relief is called a sigh. No matter how much you sigh during your family's annual car trip to the Grand Canyon, your dad won't drive any faster. Something that sounds like a human sigh is also called a sigh. The breeze might sigh in the still night air, or a screen door might sigh closed. The word sigh comes from the Old English word of the same meaning, sican, which was probably imitative, echoing the sound of a sigh.
Vocabulary lists containing sigh
"The Road Not Taken"
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"We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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"The House on Mango Street" and "The Road Not Taken"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Asked to described Fuhrman’s legacy, he let out a deep sigh.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
I asked a minister what would happen if the so-called King of the North didn't win - their answer was best described as a painful sigh.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Reaves, sigh, has clearly been unable to overcome his oblique injury and playoff demons.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
The employment report was a “classic ‘could’ve been worse’ jobs report,” Bolvin added, and the markets breathed a sigh of relief.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
“However, Mr. Pinkerton can be a force of nature when he gets an idea in his head,” Aunt Kitty continued with a sigh.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
