sing
verb (used without object)
to utter words or sounds in succession with musical modulations of the voice; vocalize melodically.
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sing ing.
sing
1 American
[sing]
/ sɪŋ /
verb (used without object)
sang,
sung,
sung,
singing
-
to utter words or sounds in succession with musical modulations of the voice; vocalize melodically.
-
to perform a song or voice composition.
She promised to sing for us.
-
to produce melodious sounds, usually high in pitch, as certain birds, insects, etc..
The nightingale sang in the tree.
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to compose poetry.
Keats sang briefly but gloriously.
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to tell about or praise someone or something in verse or song.
He sang of the warrior's prowess.
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to admit of being sung, as verses.
This lyric sings well.
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to give out a continuous ringing, whistling, murmuring, burbling, or other euphonious sound, as a teakettle or a brook.
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to make a short whistling, ringing, or whizzing sound.
The bullet sang past his ear.
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(of an electrical amplifying system) to produce an undesired self-sustained oscillation.
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to have the sensation of a ringing or humming sound, as the ears.
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Slang. to confess or act as an informer; squeal.
verb (used with object)
sang,
sung,
sung,
singing
-
to utter with musical modulations of the voice, as a song.
-
to escort or accompany with singing.
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to proclaim enthusiastically.
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to bring, send, put, etc., with or by singing.
She sang the baby to sleep.
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to chant or intone.
to sing mass.
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to tell or praise in verse or song.
noun
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the act or performance of singing.
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a gathering or meeting of persons for the purpose of singing.
a community sing.
-
a singing, ringing, or whistling sound, as of a bullet.
verb phrase
sing.
2
American
abbreviation
sing
1
British
/ sɪŋ /
verb
-
to produce or articulate (sounds, words, a song, etc) with definite and usually specific musical intonation
-
to perform (a song) to the accompaniment (of)
to sing to a guitar
-
to tell a story or tale in song (about)
I sing of a maiden
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to address a song (to) or perform a song (for)
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(intr) to perform songs for a living, as a professional singer
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(intr) (esp of certain birds and insects) to utter calls or sounds reminiscent of music
-
to tell (something) or give praise (to someone), esp in verse
the poet who sings of the Trojan dead
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(intr) to make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound
the kettle is singing
the arrow sang past his ear
-
(intr) (of the ears) to experience a continuous ringing or humming sound
-
(tr) (esp in church services) to chant or intone (a prayer, psalm, etc)
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(tr) to bring to a given state by singing
to sing a child to sleep
-
slang (intr) to confess or act as an informer
-
(intr) (in Aboriginal witchcraft) to bring about a person's death by incantation. The same power can sometimes be used beneficently
noun
-
informal an act or performance of singing
-
a ringing or whizzing sound, as of bullets
sing.
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sing
First recorded before 900; Middle English singen, Old English singan; cognate with Dutch zingen, German singen, Old Norse syngva, Gothic siggwan
Explanation
When you sing, you make music with your voice: "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti..." You get it. Many of us sing along to the radio, sing lullabys to babies, or sing happy birthday to our friends. Sometimes voices are so loud and musical that you can use sing even when they're not literally singing: "She waves and sings out a cheerful, 'Hello!'" In poetry, to sing is to honor or praise, as Walt Whitman does in "Song of Myself:" "I celebrate myself and sing myself."
Vocabulary lists containing sing
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.
See Examples For:
Palestinian herder Mohammed Emar has set up a fully functional home for his family where his daughters can even sing karaoke.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Mervyn would sing in church and so when the Farmers' Choir restarted in nearby Ballymena that autumn, he decided to give it a go.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
He joked if anyone wants to hear Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, he will sing it again.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
With barely a greeting to the rest of the musicians, he starts to sing, challenging their earsplitting guitars with his lacerating sneers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
She didn’t know how to count backward so she waited for him to sing the correct number each time and then she joined in.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
“I’ve sung with Pavarotti. I know how to sing. I’ve studied the craft for 40 years. I’m not a stylist who just barks and howls. I know how to sing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
“Opera is a work of theater, usually presented onstage. And most of the performers sing. Most of the time.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
"You've got to feel the music and almost play it like a singer would sing. Let the music breathe... you have just got to be relaxed, that's the main thing."
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025
“From the day Michael was born he could sing. That was his ordained life, and once he found out what his niche was, that was what he did,” said Ruby Washington, Mr. Watford’s stepsister.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2024
Lancelot said: “Nothing. I don’t want to sing. Come and sit close to me, Jenny.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Fast forward four years, and Mervyn has sang for the King, met musical royalty and his choir is up for a national award.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
It was Al Kooper who brought me to Joni — she sang it to me over the phone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
As Marzio sang his only aria, summoning Farnace to war, he changed his outfit, making Farnace hand him armor pieces like a servant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Jarvis sang Happy Birthday to the festival and toasted to another 20 years before telling fans he will be taking a break for a while.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
“And you won’t believe it, but Sadik sang that song too.”
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Allegedly, somewhere out there De Palma’s original three-hour cut exists, one that so impressed Ellroy that he devoted an entire essay to singing its praises called “The Hillikers.”
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
On the TV screen, the patient now saw a video of themselves singing “My Girl,” only this time with no backing track.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Born on Sept. 2, 1943, to John and Mary Ashford, the budding soprano developed her chops singing in the church choir and then in the glee club at Wilbur Wright High School in Detroit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
In the previous Duma, everyone seemed to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
At the top of an old dead tree close to the road, a mockingbird started singing.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
On YouTube, a "heartfelt fan-made tribute by Miley Cyrus" to her godmother Dolly Parton and sung in the style of the Wrecking Ball singer has had more than 1.5 million views.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
BTS is the first all-South Korean act to reign over Billboard's US top singles chart, which they achieved with their 2020 track "Dynamite", their first hit sung completely in English.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
A smattering of hardy locals even stayed until the final anthem was sung as the clocked neared 11pm.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
“I’ve sung with Pavarotti. I know how to sing. I’ve studied the craft for 40 years. I’m not a stylist who just barks and howls. I know how to sing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
For more advanced groups, try dividing into three parts, with the melody in one part and sung ostinati in the other groups.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
