What does sighed mean?
Sighed is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'sigh', meaning to breathe out a long, deep, audible breath. The action commonly communicates a feeling that is difficult or uncomfortable to express directly: relief, weariness, disappointment, resignation, frustration, or affection. It can also be used figuratively when someone speaks with a drawn-out, exasperated tone, as in describing a response to bad news or an unwelcome task. Because a sigh combines a physical action with an emotional signal, it often says more than an ordinary breath and can briefly reveal a person’s inner state. The word is used in everyday British and American English and is especially common in literature and dialogue, where its expressive quality helps convey tone, mood, and characterization.
verbTo emit a long, deep breath through the nose or mouth, usually as a sign of weariness, relief, disappointment, or resignation.
- To breathe out a long, deep breath, especially as an expression of emotion.
- To speak or express something with a long, audible exhalation, often indicating weariness, frustration, or resignation.
"She sighed with relief after hearing that the journey had been delayed but not cancelled."
"After hours of searching, he sighed and sat down in exhaustion."
"The committee sighed at the prospect of yet another delay."
A sigh can carry relief, exhaustion, disappointment, or resignation in a single breath.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sighed come from?
The verb 'sigh' comes from Middle English and ultimately from an Old English word related to the idea of drawing a breath through the nose. Its cognates include forms in several Germanic languages with similar meanings. The form 'sighed' is simply the regular past tense and past participle of that inherited English verb.
Related word forms
How sighed is actually used
The form is the past tense and past participle of 'sigh'. It is neutral in register and can describe either a physical exhalation or the emotional significance conveyed by it.