sing

sing — verb

1. to produce musical sounds using your voice, usually by saying words that follow

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA1
Definition

to produce musical sounds using your voice, usually by saying words that follow a tune

Example

Kwame sang a traditional folk song at his grandmother's birthday party.

transitive: sing + song

The children sang together in the school choir every Wednesday afternoon.

intransitive: sing + adverb of manner

Common collocations
  • sing a song
  • sing a tune
  • sing a lullaby
  • sing in a choir
  • sing along
  • sing loudly
  • sing softly
  • sing beautifully
Synonyms
  • chant

    repeat words on a single or limited pitch, often religious or rhythmic

  • hum

    sing with closed lips, producing no words

  • croon

    sing softly and gently, usually love songs

  • warble

    sing with trills and runs, often describing birds

Antonyms
  • whisper

    speak very softly without musical pitch

Grammar Patterns

sing + noun phrase (song/tune)

sing + to/for + noun

sing + object + direct object

Usage Note

Intransitive use is more common than transitive. The direct object is typically a song, tune, or hymn.

Common Mistakes

I want to sing a music.
I want to sing a song.
'music' is an abstract concept; you sing a specific 'song' or 'tune.'
She sang for him a song.
She sang him a song.' or 'She sang a song for him.
When using both indirect and direct objects, the indirect object comes first without a preposition.

2. to make a continuous high sound, like the noise of a thin metal object or of air

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to make a continuous high sound, like the noise of a thin metal object or of air moving quickly through a narrow space

Example

The old kettle began to sing just before the water came to a boil.

subject: inanimate object (kettle)

Sana heard the wind sing through the crack in her bedroom window.

perception verb + sing + preposition through

Common collocations
  • kettle sings
  • wind sings
  • bullets sing
  • wires sing
  • sing through
  • sing past
Synonyms
  • whistle

    sharper, more piercing sound, usually made by air or a person

  • ring

    clear resonant sound, often of metal or a bell

  • buzz

    lower, vibrating sound like that of a bee or machine

Antonyms
  • hum

    lower-pitched continuous sound

Grammar Patterns

sing + preposition (through/past/with)

sing + adverb

Usage Note

Frequently used with inanimate subjects such as kettles, wind, bullets, and wires. The sound is typically thin, high-pitched, and continuous.

3. when a bird makes its natural musical calls

3.verbintransitiveA2
Definition

when a bird makes its natural musical calls

Example

Every morning the sparrows sing outside Min's bedroom window.

habitual: every morning + sing

A blackbird sang from the highest branch of the old oak tree.

preposition: sing from + location

Common collocations
  • birds sing
  • sparrows sing
  • robins sing
  • birds sing at dawn
  • birds sing in the morning
  • sing from a tree
Synonyms
  • chirp

    short, high-pitched bird sound, usually small birds

  • twitter

    light, quick series of chirps

  • warble

    long flowing song with trills, typical of some songbirds

Grammar Patterns

sing + preposition (from/in/on)

sing + adverb of time

Usage Note

Subject is almost always a bird or bird species. Do not use this sense for human musical performance — that belongs to verb/1.

Common Mistakes

The cat sang on the fence.
The bird sang on the fence.
Only birds sing with this meaning. For other animals, use a different verb like 'meow,' 'bark,' or 'howl.'

4. to move someone into a particular condition or place by singing to them

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to move someone into a particular condition or place by singing to them

Example

Darius sang his little sister to sleep after reading her a bedtime story.

sing + noun + to + state (to sleep)

The nanny would sing the children into a calmer mood whenever they were upset.

sing + noun + into + state

Common collocations
  • sing to sleep
  • sing into a mood
  • sing away
  • sing to the front
Synonyms
  • lull

    soothe or calm someone, often without singing

  • serenade

    perform music for someone, especially romantically, outdoors at night

Grammar Patterns

sing + noun phrase + preposition/adverb

sing + noun phrase + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently used with a result phrase such as 'to sleep,' 'into a mood,' or 'away.' The singing is the method by which a change happens.

5. to tell the police or other authorities about someone's secret or criminal activ

5.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to tell the police or other authorities about someone's secret or criminal activities, especially in exchange for a lighter punishment

Example

The driver began to sing as soon as the detective offered him a shorter sentence.

collocation: begin to sing

Kwame refused to sing, even after hours of questioning in the police station.

negative: refused to sing

Common collocations
  • start singing
  • refuse to sing
  • sing to the police
  • decide to sing
Synonyms
  • inform

    neutral term; less colourful but used in all contexts

  • rat out

    slang, even more informal than 'sing', strongly negative

  • confess

    admit one's own guilt, not necessarily about others

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

sing + to + police/authorities

sing + about + noun phrase

Usage Note

Slang term from American criminal jargon, drawn from the phrase 'sing like a canary.' Typically used in informal law-enforcement contexts.

Common Mistakes

The witness sang about what she saw in court.
The witness told the court what she saw.
'sing' is slang for informing on accomplices, not for giving general testimony.
Phrasal verbs

sing along

phrasal verb

This means to sing together with someone who is already singing or with a recording.

The children sang along to their favorite song on the radio.

Aiden sang along with the band at the concert last night.

sing of

phrasal verb

This means to describe or celebrate something in a song or poem.

The poet sang of the beauty of the autumn forest.

Ancient bards sang of heroes and their great deeds.

sing out

phrasal verb

This means to sing loudly or shout something clearly.

The teacher asked the class to sing out the answer together.

Mia sang out her name when the teacher called the roll.

sing up

phrasal verb

This means to sing more loudly.

The choir director told the tenors to sing up.

If you can't hear the melody, please sing up.

Idioms

it’s not over until the fat lady sings

idiom

This means that a situation is not finished and could still change, so someone might still win.

The team was losing, but it's not over until the fat lady sings.

Don't give up yet; it's not over until the fat lady sings.

sing a different tune

idiom

This means to change your opinion or attitude about someone or something.

Maya used to hate the new policy, but now she sings a different tune.

After getting a raise, Brian sang a different tune about his boss.

sing from the same hymn/song sheet

idiom

This means to show agreement by saying the same things in public.

The two politicians sang from the same hymn sheet during the debate.

All team members must sing from the same song sheet for the project to succeed.

sing somebody's praises

idiom

This means to praise someone very highly.

Sara's teacher sang her praises after she won the science fair.

Diego's colleagues sang his praises for completing the project early.

sing — noun

Word family

  • singer
    nounA1
  • singing
    nounA2
  • song
    nounA1
  • songwriter
    nounB1
  • unsung
    adjectiveC1
  • singsong
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Each of these words describes a specific way of using the voice musically. 'Sing' is the general term covering all melodic vocalisation. 'Chant' means repeating words on a single or limited pitch, often in religious or sporting contexts — you chant a mantra or a football cheer. 'Hum' is singing with the lips closed, producing no words, like humming a tune while cooking. 'Croon' is a soft, gentle style of singing, usually slow love songs; think of old jazz singers crooning into a microphone. 'Warble' implies a bird-like song with rapid changes in pitch and is used literally for songbirds ('the lark warbled') or playfully for human singers with a trilling style. For everyday use, 'sing' is the safest choice. If you want to be specific: 'She hummed to herself while gardening' suggests wordless contentment, while 'She crooned to the baby' suggests soft soothing.

chanthum ↗croonwarble

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • sing a song
  • burst into song
  • sing someone's praises
  • sing along to

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sing' comes from Old English 'singan,' which meant to sing, chant, or recite. This goes back to Proto-Germanic '*singwaną,' and further to the Proto-Indo-European root '*sengwh-,' meaning to sing or make an incantation. Related words appear in many Germanic languages, such as German 'singen,' Dutch 'zingen,' and Swedish 'sjunga.' The slang use meaning 'to inform on someone' appeared in early 20th-century American English, likely from the expression 'sing like a canary' — referring to the idea of a canary singing freely when kept in a cage, like a prisoner talking freely.