Meaning & use
singing
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Meanings
noununcountable
The activity or art of making music with your voice.
Grammar: No plural or article: she loves singing.
Patterns
- singing lessons
- enjoy singing
Her singing filled the whole church.
I take singing lessons on Tuesday evenings.
Group singing makes people feel connected.
nounsingularliterary
The sound of a person or bird singing, or a pleasant ringing or whistling sound.
Grammar: Usually the singing of something: the singing of birds.
Patterns
- the singing of something
We woke to the singing of birds outside the window.
The singing of the kettle told us tea was ready.
adjectivebefore a noun
Used before a noun to describe someone or something that sings or sounds like singing.
Grammar: Always before the noun: a singing teacher.
Patterns
- a singing competition
- a singing teacher
She entered a local singing competition.
A singing teacher helped him find his range.
Common combinations
- singing lessons
- He started singing lessons at age ten.
- singing voice
- Her singing voice is clear and warm.
- singing competition
- The school holds a singing competition every spring.
- choral singing
- Choral singing is popular in Welsh villages.
- singing career
- She gave up her singing career to teach.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vocals
- Vocals refers to the sung part of a recording or performance, while singing is the activity.
- chanting
- Chanting is repetitive and often religious, but singing usually has a varied melody.
- warbling
- Warbling suggests a trembling or birdlike sound and can sound mocking.
- crooning
- Crooning means a soft, smooth style, which is narrower than singing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: singing or signing?
singing vs signing
Signing means writing your name or using sign language, and is spelled differently.
Practice
She has taken ___ lessons since she was young and now sings in a choir.
Choose one answer.
Singing works as a noun modifier before lessons. Sung is a past participle, and signing would mean a different activity.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “singing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.