sing

¹ American  

[sing] / sɪŋ /

verb (used without object)

sang, sung, sung, singing

1. to utter words or sounds in succession with musical modulations of the voice; vocalize melodically.

2. to perform a song or voice composition.

   She promised to sing for us.

3. to produce melodious sounds, usually high in pitch, as certain birds, insects, etc..

   The nightingale sang in the tree.

4. to compose poetry.

   Keats sang briefly but gloriously.

5. to tell about or praise someone or something in verse or song.

   He sang of the warrior's prowess.

6. to admit of being sung, as verses.

   This lyric sings well.

7. to give out a continuous ringing, whistling, murmuring, burbling, or other euphonious sound, as a teakettle or a brook.

8. to make a short whistling, ringing, or whizzing sound.

   The bullet sang past his ear.

9. (of an electrical amplifying system) to produce an undesired self-sustained oscillation.

10. to have the sensation of a ringing or humming sound, as the ears.

11. Slang. to confess or act as an informer; squeal.

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verb (used with object)

sang, sung, sung, singing

1. to utter with musical modulations of the voice, as a song.

2. to escort or accompany with singing.

3. to proclaim enthusiastically.

4. to bring, send, put, etc., with or by singing.

   She sang the baby to sleep.

5. to chant or intone.

   to sing mass.

6. to tell or praise in verse or song.

noun

1. the act or performance of singing.

2. a gathering or meeting of persons for the purpose of singing.

   a community sing.

3. a singing, ringing, or whistling sound, as of a bullet.

verb phrase

1. sing out to call in a loud voice; shout.

   They lost their way in the cavern and sang out for help.

sing. ² American  

abbreviation

1. singular.

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sing ¹ British  

/ sɪŋ /

verb

1. to produce or articulate (sounds, words, a song, etc) with definite and usually specific musical intonation

2. to perform (a song) to the accompaniment (of)

   to sing to a guitar

3. to tell a story or tale in song (about)

   I sing of a maiden

4. to address a song (to) or perform a song (for)

5. (intr) to perform songs for a living, as a professional singer

6. (intr) (esp of certain birds and insects) to utter calls or sounds reminiscent of music

7. to tell (something) or give praise (to someone), esp in verse

   the poet who sings of the Trojan dead

8. (intr) to make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound

   the kettle is singing

   the arrow sang past his ear

9. (intr) (of the ears) to experience a continuous ringing or humming sound

10. (tr) (esp in church services) to chant or intone (a prayer, psalm, etc)

11. (tr) to bring to a given state by singing

    to sing a child to sleep

12. slang (intr) to confess or act as an informer

13. (intr) (in Aboriginal witchcraft) to bring about a person's death by incantation. The same power can sometimes be used beneficently

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noun

1. informal an act or performance of singing

2. a ringing or whizzing sound, as of bullets

sing. ² British  

abbreviation

1. singular

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Other Word Forms

• missing verb
• singability noun
• singable adjective
• singableness noun
• singing adjective
• singingly adverb
• unsingable adjective

Etymology

Origin of sing

First recorded before 900; Middle English singen, Old English singan; cognate with Dutch zingen, German singen, Old Norse syngva, Gothic siggwan

Explanation

When you sing, you make music with your voice: "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti..." You get it. Many of us sing along to the radio, sing lullabys to babies, or sing happy birthday to our friends. Sometimes voices are so loud and musical that you can use sing even when they're not literally singing: "She waves and sings out a cheerful, 'Hello!'" In poetry, to sing is to honor or praise, as Walt Whitman does in "Song of Myself:" "I celebrate myself and sing myself."

Example Sentences

We would sing it to him too, whenever he came into the room.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Sonza doesn't see musical genres and their rhythms as a label to fit into, but rather "as the feelings I had to sing about."

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

"I spent my life listening to her sing Memory from Cats," Rachel said adoringly.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

The issue: the rapper made a cameo in the show, in which she danced but didn’t sing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The bird who flies the highest will find the most beautiful voice in the world and return to earth to sing the most beautiful songs.'

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• belt out
• chant
• croon
• hum
• intone
• serenade
• shout
• wait
• warble
• whistle