---
name: "sigsuspend"
section: "2"
platform: "macos"
package: "xnu"
version: "12377.121.6"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sigsuspend"
---

# sigsuspend(2)

atomically release blocked signals and wait for interrupt

## NAME

**sigsuspend** – atomically release blocked signals and wait for interrupt

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<signal.h\>**

*int*\

**sigsuspend**(*const sigset\_t \*sigmask*);

## DESCRIPTION

**sigsuspend**() temporarily changes the blocked signal mask to the set to which *sigmask* points, and then waits for a signal to arrive; on return the previous set of masked signals is restored. The signal mask set is usually empty to indicate that all signals are to be unblocked for the duration of the call.

In normal usage, a signal is blocked using [sigprocmask(2)](/sigprocmask/2.md) to begin a critical section, variables modified on the occurrence of the signal are examined to determine that there is no work to be done, and the process pauses awaiting work by using **sigsuspend**() with the previous mask returned by sigprocmask.

## RETURN VALUES

The **sigsuspend**() function always terminates by being interrupted, returning -1 with *errno* set to EINTR.

## SEE ALSO

[sigaction(2)](/sigaction/2.md), [sigprocmask(2)](/sigprocmask/2.md), [sigsetops(3)](/sigsetops/3.md)

## STANDARDS

The **sigsuspend** function call conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (“POSIX.1”).