sin

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈsɪn/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/sɪn/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(sin)

Inflections of 'sin' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
sins
v 3rd person singular
sinning
v pres p
sinned
v past
sinned
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sin1 /sɪn/USA pronunciation   n., v., sinned, sin•ning. 
n. 
  1. Religion disobedience of divine law:[uncountable]a life full of sin.
  2. Religion any act regarded as such disobedience, esp. a deliberate one:[countable]He asked for forgiveness of his sins.
  3. any serious fault or offense:[countable]He had committed sins against humanity.

v. [no object]
  1. to commit a sinful act:He had sinned and so he begged God for forgiveness.
Idioms
  1. live in sin, [no object] to live together as husband and wife without being married.

sin•ner, n. [countable]
    See crime.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
sin1  (sin),USA pronunciation n., v., sinned, sin•ning. 
n. 
    1. Religiontransgression of divine law:the sin of Adam.
    2. Religionany act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.
    3. any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.;
      great fault or offense:It's a sin to waste time.

    v.i. 
    1. to commit a sinful act.
    2. to offend against a principle, standard, etc.

    v.t. 
    1. to commit or perform sinfully:He sinned his crimes without compunction.
    2. to bring, drive, etc., by sinning:He sinned his soul to perdition.
    • bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English syn(n) offense, misdeed; akin to German Sünde, Old Norse synd sin, Latin sōns guilty; (verb, verbal) derivative of the noun, nominal, replacing Middle English sin(i)gen, syn(i)gen, Old English syngian, itself derivative of the noun, nominal
    sin′like′, adj. 
    sin′ning•ly, adv. 
    sin′ning•ness, n. 
      1. . trespass, violation. 2. . wrong, wickedness. 4. . transgress, trespass.
sin2  (sēn),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Linguisticsthe 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Linguisticsthe consonant sound represented by this letter.
  • Hebrew śīn
  • 1895–1900

sīn  (sēn),USA pronunciation n. 
    1. the 12th letter of the Arabic alphabet.
    • Arabic

Sin  (sēn),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Eastern Religionsthe Akkadian god of the moon: the counterpart of the Sumerian Nanna.

sin, [Trig.]
  1. Mathematicssine.

sin1 ,
  1. [Symbol, Trig.]arc sine.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sin /sɪn/ n
    • transgression of God's known will or any principle or law regarded as embodying this
    • the condition of estrangement from God arising from such transgression See also mortal sin, original sin, venial sin
  2. any serious offence, as against a religious or moral principle
  3. any offence against a principle or standard
  4. live in sin ⇒ informal (of an unmarried couple) to live together
 vb (sins, sinning, sinned) (intransitive)
  1. to commit a sin
  2. (usually followed by against) to commit an offence (against a person, principle, etc)
Etymology: Old English synn; related to Old Norse synth, Old High German suntea sin, Latin sons guiltyˈsinner n
sin /sɪn/ prep , conj , adv
  1. a Scot dialect word for since
sin /saɪn/ abbreviation for
  1. sine
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
SIN, S.I.N. abbreviation for (in Canada)
  1. social insurance number
'sin' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
absolution - absolve - arc - atone - attrition - baptism - besetting - cardinal - commission - contrite - devil - err - expiate - fall - grievous - guilt - immaculate - Immaculate Conception - impeccable - indulgence - iniquity - James - jeroboam - Kumbh Mela - mortal sin - original sin - peccable - peccadillo - peccant - Pelagianism - penance - periodic function - purgatory - purgatorial - purify - ransom - reclaim - redeem - redemption - reduction formula - remission - retribution - salvation - sanctify - satisfaction - satisfactory - save - Saviour - simony - actual sin
Collocations: believe in the original sin, the [seven deadly, cardinal] sins, confess your sins (to), more...

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