sighing

present participle of sigh
as in gasping
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

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 sighing The soundtrack—by the frequent Hans Zimmer collaborator David Fleming—is a delight, a polyphonic mood board of ghost-clangs, spooky bassoons, lyrical electro-motifs, and sighing sea themes. James Parker, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026 The internet may be full of people who want to outlaw leaf blowers, but misophonic triggers tend to share a bodily quality, an aurally traceable culprit such as a person crunching or sighing. Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 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 Watch On As every streaming platform inevitably becomes like linear TV and offers up more commercials than common sense, we're left sighing at the 360 that society has taken. Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026 There are nearly two hundred people standing there, looking around and sighing. Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 Everything at this Elmhurst flamepot is punched up, texture and flavor alike, from sighing-soft to tensile to snappy, and always hot-hot-hot. Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026 But the people in these plays aren’t sighing and slumping. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 And while many might be reluctant to close the time capsule door on their beloved skinnies, some of us are sighing with relief that the current denim trend is comfy enough for travel. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sighing
Verb
  • Police say Coffer was pulled to safety by his boat partner, who told police Simpson fled the scene and the boy was gasping for air.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Sharing a video of the moment, Kotb is seen turning a corner in her house and gasping in shock as she’s confronted with a rainbow fringe curtain in the entrance to her living room.
    Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Straight from Sean Payton and every other living, breathing human being who’s attended Broncos training camp, Bryant has been THE star.
    Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Surrounded by the destruction, the baby squirrel still kept breathing.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Mondon, a 2025 fifth-round pick, opened team drills with the second-team defense by sniffing out a run along the perimeter.
    Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Pomeranian munchkins in Munchkinland skitter around, sniffing wagging butts.
    Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This version is battery-powered, meaning no more huffing and puffing!
    Anja Webb, Parents, 24 June 2026
  • Lee began huffing gasoline at seven years old, court documents stated.
    Nina Giraldo, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • The delivery person added that none of the canines appeared to have access to food or sufficient water, and that all the animals were panting.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Dogs primarily rely on panting, while cats also groom themselves to help regulate body temperature.
    Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sighing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sighing. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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