MEANING
To breathe out slowly and audibly, often expressing relief, weariness, sadness, or resignation.
Use it for
Show relief, weariness, or resignation through breath.A small physical cue can convey a shift in feeling while leaving its cause implicit.
Words that belong together
- sigh with relief
- sigh over a letter
- let out a sigh
On the page
He sighed with relief when the locked gate finally swung open.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- sigh
- Past tense
- sighed
- Past participle
- sighed
- Present participle
- sighing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- sigh
- Present continuous
- am/is/are sighing
- Present perfect
- have/has sighed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been sighing
- Past
- sighed
- Past continuous
- was/were sighing
- Past perfect
- had sighed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been sighing
- Future
- will sigh
- Future continuous
- will be sighing
- Future perfect
- will have sighed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been sighing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
The breath is observable, but its emotion depends on context; a sigh may signal relief, fatigue, impatience, or grief.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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