sigh 1 of 2

verb

ˈsī How to pronounce sigh (audio)
Definition of sighnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

sigh

2 of 2

noun

as in gasp

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sigh
Verb
Sapphire sighed and kicked the covers down around our feet. — Literary Hub, 22 June 2026 Also, remember that the avatar is reading your body language, eye contact, any kind of sighing or moaning. — Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Noun
Serena looked down, heaved a sigh and hooked her knee around the pole before mustering up a halfhearted spin. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 For now, however, investors are likely breathing a collective sigh of relief, after muscling through an anxious first half that included major geopolitical conflicts, and tremors around the potential for AI disruption. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sigh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sigh
  1. gasp
  2. whisper
  3. huff
  4. murmur
  5. breathe
  6. gurgle
  7. snort
  8. babble
Verb
  • Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • And when he was questioned by a police officer about his decision to pronounce the boy dead while the child was still gasping for air, the doctor allegedly pulled rank.
    — Gabriella Bachara, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of gasp
Noun
  • But eccentricity is only the visible tip of the vast iceberg of Vibeke’s mental health issues, and soon Karl and Rikke are conferring in low whispers about whether, and when, to slip some ground-up sleeping pills into her drink.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • Students enter the classroom about a minute later, and voices, whispers and laughter can be heard before the recording ends.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of whisper
Verb
  • This version is battery-powered, meaning no more huffing and puffing!
    — Anja Webb, Parents, 24 June 2026
  • Meanwhile in Boston, England huffed and puffed but could not blow Ghana away.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of huff
Noun
  • Loud talking or splashing can disturb other bathers, so just slip into the water and keep your conversations to a murmur.
    — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • As Ghana pushed for an equalizing goal, the cheers of the Colombia faithful reverted to a nervous murmur.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
Definition of murmur
Verb
  • Basket tea infuser Basket tea infusers are slightly larger, giving the tea leaves room to breathe and steep properly, which can lead to a bold, full flavor.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • Those who are open to it can follow their sessions with tai chi to focus on breathing and learn how to move with precision and purpose.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026
Definition of breathe
Noun
  • 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
  • Her stomach made an audible gurgle.
    — Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of gurgle
Verb
  • And that says nothing of its snort-like laughs, which reminded me too much of the huffs and puffs of the ride’s donkeys.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • There's a laugh-until-you-snort scene in which Harry gets an alien bug inside of him.
    — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 8 June 2026
Definition of snort
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of babble

Phrases Containing sigh

Browse Nearby Words

sifts
sigh
sighed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sigh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sigh. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sigh

Nglish: Translation of sigh for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fulcrum

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All