exhale

ex·hale

verb \eks-ˈhāl, ek-ˈsāl\

ex·haledex·hal·ing

Definition of EXHALE

intransitive verb

1

: to rise or be given off as vapor

2

: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

1

a : to breathe out <she exhaled a sigh> b : to give forth (gaseous matter) : emit

2

archaic : to cause to be emitted in vapor

Examples of EXHALE

1. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to relax.
2. <before answering, the suspect exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke>

Origin of EXHALE

Middle English exalen, from Latin exhalare, from ex- + halare to breathe

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to EXHALE

Synonyms: blow (out), breathe (out), expel, expire

Antonyms: inbreathe, inhale, inspire

Related Words: expectorate

Near Antonyms: absorb, inhale, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take up

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with EXHALE

abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blackmail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, curtail, derail, detail, doornail, dovetail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale