I sighed and returned to reality.

Meaning: I felt disappointed that the cake was gone and went back to my normal state of mind.

Choice of Words: Sighed is a deep breath that is often made to express disappointment, relief, or tiredness. Returned means to go back to a place or condition. Reality is the state of things as they actually are, rather than as they are imagined or wished to be.

Alternative Expressions

Related Expressions

• She sighed, closing book, returning to reality.
• Dreams faded, reality returned, adventure lived.
• The boy put down his pencil and sighed.
• He closed the book and sighed.
• We emerged from hiding and sighed.
• She sat down on the bench and sighed with relief.
• He leaned back in his chair and sighed.
• The turtle sighed contentedly and drifted to sleep.
• Wind whispered, sighed, and swept.
• She sighed in frustration and turned off the TV.