SKIP TO CONTENT

sough

/saʊ/
IPA guide

Other forms: soughing; soughed; soughs

To sough is to make a moaning or sighing sound. You might inadvertently sough when your math teacher announces another pop quiz.

If you're sick, you may be tempted to lie in bed soughing and feeling sorry for yourself. Or if you're quiet, you might hear the wind sough through the trees outside. Either way, you can hear a soft, murmuring sound. Sough has an Old English root meaning "roar, howl, or whistle," and in 16th-century Scotland it was also used to mean "a vague rumor."

Definitions of sough
  1. verb
    make a murmuring sound
    synonyms: purl
    see moresee less
    type of:
    make noise, noise, resound
    emit a noise
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘sough'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family