sin

UK: /ˈsɪn/ US: /sɪn/ ,(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 © 2025

sin¹ /sɪn/   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]

4. to commit a sinful act:
   He had sinned and so he begged God for forgiveness.

Idioms

5. live in sin, [no object] to live together as husband and wife without being married.

sin•ner, n. [countable]
Synonyms

See crime.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sin¹  (sin), n., v., sinned, sin•ning. 
n. 

1. Religion transgression of divine law:
   the sin of Adam.
2. Religion any 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. 
4. to commit a sinful act.
5. to offend against a principle, standard, etc.

v.t. 
6. to commit or perform sinfully:
   He sinned his crimes without compunction.
7. 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. 
Synonyms
• 1. . trespass, violation.
• 2. . wrong, wickedness.
• 4. . transgress, trespass.

sin²  (sēn), n. 

1. Linguistics the 22nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
2. Linguistics the consonant sound represented by this letter.

• Hebrew śīn
• 1895–1900

sīn  (sēn), n. 

1. the 12th letter of the Arabic alphabet.
• Arabic

Sin  (sēn), n. 

1. Eastern Religions the Akkadian god of the moon: the counterpart of the Sumerian Nanna.

sin, [Trig.]

1. Mathematics sine.

sin¹ ,

1. [Symbol, Trig.] arc sine.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sin / sɪn/ noun

1. transgression of God's known will or any principle or law regarded as embodying this
2. the condition of estrangement from God arising from such transgression
   See also mortal sin, original sin, venial sin
3. any serious offence, as against a religious or moral principle
4. any offence against a principle or standard
5. live in sin ⇒ (of an unmarried couple) to live together

verb (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 guilty

ˈsinner noun

sin / sɪn/ preposition , conjunction , adverb

1. a Scot dialect word for since

sin / saɪn/ abbreviation

1. sine

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

SIN, S.I.N. abbreviation (in Canada)

1. social insurance number