# sigh

/ˈsaɪ/ (US) · /sˈaɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sigh
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to breathe out with emotion

verb · CEFR B1

to let out a deep breath that people can hear because you are tired, sad, or disappointed.

For teachers: to emit a long, deep, audible breath expressing fatigue, frustration, or grief. Intransitive in its primary sense.

- She sighed with relief when she finally found her lost keys in her bag.
- The professor sighed audibly as he began grading the stack of poorly researched essays that had arrived just before the weekend.

### 2. to make a similar sound

verb · CEFR B2 · Literary

to make a sound like a person breathing out, like wind in the trees.

For teachers: to produce a sound reminiscent of a human sigh, typically used of wind or moving air.

- The wind sighed through the tall pine trees behind the house.
- A gentle breeze sighed through the open casement, carrying the scent of damp earth and jasmine into the quiet library.

### 3. the sound of a deep breath

noun · CEFR B1

the sound you make when you breathe out deeply because of a strong feeling.

For teachers: a single deep, audible respiration expressive of sorrow, weariness, or relief.

- With a heavy sigh, he sat down and started his homework.
- The negotiator let out a long sigh of frustration when the talks reached another unexpected stalemate after hours of progress.

### 4. written expression of annoyance

interjection · CEFR B2 · Informal

a word used in text messages or emails to show you are tired or annoyed.

For teachers: a written representation of the act of sighing, used to convey a pragmatic mood of resignation or mild annoyance in digital discourse.

- Sigh, I have to work late again tonight.
- Sigh, I just realised I left my umbrella on the train and it is starting to pour.

### 5. a bored person

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang · Dialect

a person who is very bored or boring.

For teachers: a person characterised by boredom or lack of interest. Derived from rhyming slang 'sigh and groan'.

- Don't be such a sigh; come out to the party with us.
- He was known as a bit of a sigh among his colleagues, rarely contributing anything of substance to the office social events.

## Examples

- She let out a long sigh of relief after the exam.
- The teacher gave a heavy sigh when he saw that half the class had forgotten their homework again.
- A collective sigh rippled through the audience as the protagonist finally reunited with his family after years of separation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.