suspiration
C2Literary/Poetic
Definition
Meaning
A single act of breathing out or sighing.
A long, deep, often sorrowful or weary breath; a sigh, especially as an audible expression of emotion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a literary and technical term for the action of sighing, focusing on the sound or the single act itself. It carries a more deliberate and weightier connotation than the more common 'sigh'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. It is equally rare in both variants.
Connotations
Elicits connotations of classical literature, poetic expression, or formal, sometimes archaic, diction.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties; largely confined to high literary, poetic, or technical (e.g., medical) contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
His only response was a weary suspiration.She gave a deep suspiration of relief.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “There are no common idioms containing 'suspiration'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Possible in literary analysis or medical texts describing breathing patterns.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Use 'sigh' instead.
Technical
Used in medicine or voice science to denote a specific type of long exhalation, often preceding speech.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- "It is better to suspire in verse than in person," the poet remarked.
American English
- He would suspire deeply before answering any difficult question.
adverb
British English
- No common adverbial form in use.
American English
- No common adverbial form in use.
adjective
British English
- No common adjectival form in use.
American English
- No common adjectival form in use.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The word 'suspiration' is too difficult for A2 learners; they should use 'sigh'.
- He let out a long suspiration when he heard the bad news.
- Her only response to his long explanation was a deep, weary suspiration.
- The poem captures the protagonist's final suspiration, a sound mingling regret and release.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Link it to its verb form 'suspire'. Think: 'SUSPIRE to inSPIRE a breath.' Both are related to breathing, but 'suspire' is to sigh out, while 'inspire' is to breathe in.
Conceptual Metaphor
Emotion is contained breath (released through a suspiration).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'inspiration' (вдохновение). 'Suspiration' is not related to creative ideas but to breathing out.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a common synonym for 'sigh' in everyday conversation.
- Pronouncing it with stress on the first syllable (SUS-pi-ray-shun); correct stress is on the third syllable.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'suspiration' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially, yes, but it is used almost exclusively in literary, poetic, or technical contexts. In everyday speech, 'sigh' is the correct and natural choice.
The corresponding verb is 'to suspire', meaning to sigh or to breathe. It is equally literary and rare.
Not typically. It implies a noticeable, often audible, exhalation laden with emotion (sadness, relief, weariness) or used for a specific purpose (e.g., before speaking).
Stress the third syllable: sus-pi-RAY-shun (/ˌsʌspɪˈreɪʃən/ in RP, /ˌsʌspəˈreɪʃən/ in GenAm).