as in to gasp
to take in and let out a deep audible breath or to make a similar sound
Mom always used to sigh loudly whenever she found a mess on the floor—which was often a breeze sighed through the leaves
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sigh
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
The Renaissance master, whose name is only ever sighed in the same breath as Leonardo and Michelangelo, supposedly traded truth for beauty, and ended up destroying both.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Through some convoluted changes of hands, the property’s current investors rescued and reimagined the remains of a previously defunct resort to give us Ocean Casino Resort in all its glory as a sigh of relief for this prime Boardwalk location.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sigh
Verb
No subtle sighs about the laundry pile.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
The Renaissance master, whose name is only ever sighed in the same breath as Leonardo and Michelangelo, supposedly traded truth for beauty, and ended up destroying both.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Jeffries steepled his hands and let out a small sigh.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Through some convoluted changes of hands, the property’s current investors rescued and reimagined the remains of a previously defunct resort to give us Ocean Casino Resort in all its glory as a sigh of relief for this prime Boardwalk location.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sigh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sigh
Verb
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Twice, witnesses reported, Hopper gasped as the lethal injection drugs flowed into his bloodstream.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
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In the clip, Meghan gasps as the statue is uncovered from beneath a cloth, visibly stunned by the sentimental present.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Noun
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News reports would later surface that Keenan was negotiating with the Detroit Red Wings during the Rangers’ playoff run, but Olczyk and many of his teammates had already heard whispers.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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Grande sings that lyric in a low tone, not quite a whisper, but something just as fragile and out of breath.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Difluoroethane is a gas often used in cans of compressed air, which can be huffed to produce a high, while alprazolam is the generic form of brand-name Xanax.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
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Meanwhile, Spurs, under their third manager of the season, were huffing and puffing in their attempts to blow Wolves’ defence down.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Riverwork’s apparent arc is one of oblivion—like pressing an ear to the murmur and purl of an undercurrent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
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Most other acts by those of a Wolves persuasion barely generated a murmur, and the lap of appreciation by head coach Rob Edwards brought more than a smattering of boos.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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With the war between New Jersey and Shah of Iran impersonator Phil Leotardo ending in dramatic fashion, Tony can now breathe a brief sigh of relief, though his crew now looks like a shell of its former self and there are looming indictments hanging over our favorite mob boss's head.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
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The Braves could breathe easy again.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2026
Noun
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There are mud pools from Yellowstone National Park that have a squeamish gurgle, and hearing them amid a crackling bonfire feels unexpectedly harmonious, even plausible.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
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Her stomach made an audible gurgle.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Depending on what your child does, a Fingerling might blink, giggle, shake its head, snort or even burp.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
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Police allegedly found 641 glassine bags, including one that was tested and was found to be heroin/fentanyl, 1.78 grams of cocaine, 0.52g of crack cocaine, nine Adderall capsules, plastic and glass straws commonly used to snort narcotics and $232, according to Cleverdon.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The film almost completely drops any and all scientific babble from the book in favor of character development, action sequences, and emotional gut punches.—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
23 Mar. 2026
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Read a book and sip tea in front of the central fireplace, swim between the indoor and outdoor sections of the glimmering pool, and soak your aching quads in the hot tubs under the evergreens and aspens while listening to the peaceful babble of Gore Creek.—
Sarah Kuta,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sigh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sigh. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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