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Meaning & use

sing-song

adjective, noun·Advanced

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UK/ˈsɪŋ sɒŋ/
US/ˈsɪŋ sɔːŋ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Describing a voice or speech with a regular rising and falling tune.

    Grammar: Usually before a noun: a sing-song voice.

    Patterns

    • a sing-song voice
    • a sing-song tone

    The teacher read the poem in a sing-song voice.

    She greeted us in a sing-song tone.

    He has a sing-song accent from the valleys.

  2. nouncountableBritishinformal

    An informal occasion when a group of people sing together for fun.

    Grammar: Mostly British: have a sing-song.

    Patterns

    • have a sing-song
    • start a sing-song

    We had a sing-song on the coach home.

    After dinner the family had a sing-song around the piano.

    Someone started a sing-song in the pub.

  3. nounsingular

    A way of speaking that lifts and falls in a musical pattern.

    Grammar: Used with a: say it in a sing-song.

    Patterns

    • say something in a sing-song

    The children recited the rhyme in a sing-song.

    "Come and get it," he called in a sing-song.

    Her sing-song made the news sound happy.

Word forms

pluralsing-songs

Common combinations

sing-song voice
He answered in a sing-song voice.
sing-song rhythm
The poem has a sing-song rhythm.
have a sing-song
Let's have a sing-song on the way.
sing-song accent
She has a soft, sing-song accent.
in a sing-song
They chanted the words in a sing-song.

Synonyms and how they differ

lilting
Lilting is more positive and graceful, and usually describes a pleasant, gentle rhythm.
melodic
Melodic describes pleasant tunefulness and is more formal than sing-song.
musical
Musical is broader and need not mean the repeating pattern sing-song suggests.
monotone
Monotone is the opposite, because it has no change in pitch at all.

Opposites

monotoneflat

Word family

sing verb
to make music with the voice
song noun
a piece of music with words
singer noun
a person who sings
singalong noun
an event where everyone sings

Commonly confused: sing-song or singsong?

sing-song vs singsong

Singsong is a spelling variant of sing-song; both are acceptable.

Practice

She read the nursery rhyme in a ___ voice that made the toddlers giggle.

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