# sing

> English word · Verb · IPA /sɪŋ/ · frequency rank #2,810

## Definitions
1. To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
2. To perform a vocal part in a musical composition, regardless of technique.
3. To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
4. To soothe with singing.
5. Of birds, to vocalise:
6. Of birds, to vocalise:
7. To confess under interrogation.
8. To make a small, shrill sound.
9. To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.
10. To display fine qualities; to stand out as excellent.
11. To be capable of being sung; to produce a certain effect by being sung.
12. In traditional Aboriginal culture, to direct a supernatural influence on (a person or thing), usually malign; to curse.
13. To yell or shout.

## Etymology
From Middle English singen, from Old English singan (“to sing”), from Proto-West Germanic *singwan, from Proto-Germanic *singwaną (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ- (“to recite, sing”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian sjunge (“to sing”), West Frisian sjonge (“to sing”), Dutch zingen (“to sing”), German Low German singen (“to sing”), German singen (“to sing”), Danish synge (“to sing”), Swedish sjunga (“to sing”), Icelandic syngja (“to sing”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή (omphḗ, “voice, oracle”).

## Easily confused with
- **six** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-six)
- **son** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-son)
- **sir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sir)
- **sun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sun)
- **sit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sit)
- **sip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sip)
- **sis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sis)
- **SNP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-snp)
- **SNL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-snl)
- **syn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-syn)
- **Siu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-siu)
- **Snr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-snr)
- **SSN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-ssn)
- **SNS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sns)
- **SVG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-svg)
- **SNA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-sna)
- **song** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-song)
- **site** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-site)
- **size** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-size)
- **skin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-skin)

## Common misspellings (5)
`isng`, `singg`, `sinng`, `snig`, `ssing`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sing