air

noun, often attributive

\ ˈer

Definition of air

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a archaic : breath

b : the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (such as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth also : the equivalent mix of gases on another planet … the thin, frigid air of Mars. — Stefano S. Coledan

c : a light breeze

2a : empty space

b : nothingness —usually used in the phrases into thin air and out of thin air vanished/disappeared into thin air… nor did any of them seem to have noticed that six people had just melted into thin air in front of them.— J. K. Rowling… jobs can't just be created out of thin air. — The Wall Street Journal

c old-fashioned : a sudden severance of relations She gave me the air.

3 [ probably translation of Italian aria ]

a : tune, melody a lilting air

b Elizabethan & Jacobean music : an accompanied song or melody in usually strophic form

c : the chief voice part or melody in choral music

4a : outward appearance of a thing an air of luxury

b : a surrounding or pervading influence : atmosphere an air of mystery

c : the look, appearance, or bearing of a person especially as expressive of some personal quality or emotion : demeanor an air of dignity

d : an artificial or affected manner put on airs

5 : public utterance He gave air to his opinion.

6 : compressed air

7a(1) : aircraft traveling by air

(2) : aviation air safety air rights

(3) : air force air headquarters

b(1) : the medium of transmission of radio waves also : radio, television went on the air

(2) : airtime

8 : a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass Trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air.

9 : an air-conditioning system a house with central air

10 : the height achieved in performing an aerial maneuver a snowboarder catching big air also : the maneuver itself

in the air

: being felt or expressed by many people : in wide circulation There was a sense of anticipation in the air.

up in the air

: not yet settled a question that's still up in the air

air

verb

aired; airing; airs

Definition of air (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to expose to the air for drying, purifying, or refreshing : ventilate —often used with out He opened the windows to air out the room.

2 : to expose to public view or bring to public notice aired their complaints

3 : to transmit by radio or television air a program

intransitive verb

1 : to become exposed to the open air The blankets were left outside to air.

2 : to become broadcast a program that airs daily

Other Words from air Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about air

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Synonyms & Antonyms for air

Synonyms: Noun

lay, melody, song, strain, tune, warble

Synonyms: Verb

expound, express, give, look, raise, sound, state, vent, ventilate, voice

Antonyms: Verb

stifle, suppress

Choose the Right Synonym for air

Noun

pose, air, airs, affectation, mannerism mean an adopted way of speaking or behaving. pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others. her shyness was just a pose air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life. a traveler's sophisticated air airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness. snobbish airs affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere. the posh accent is an affectation mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit. gesturing with a cigarette was her most noticeable mannerism

Verb

express, vent, utter, voice, broach, air mean to make known what one thinks or feels. express suggests an impulse to reveal in words, gestures, actions, or what one creates or produces. expressed her feelings in music vent stresses a strong inner compulsion to express especially in words. a tirade venting his frustration utter implies the use of the voice not necessarily in articulate speech. utter a groan voice does not necessarily imply vocal utterance but does imply expression or formulation in words. an editorial voicing their concerns broach adds the implication of disclosing for the first time something long thought over or reserved for a suitable occasion. broached the subject of a divorce air implies an exposing or parading of one's views often in order to gain relief or sympathy or attention. publicly airing their differences

Examples of air in a Sentence

Noun

These laws are meant to produce cleaner air. A delicious smell filled the air. I like to dine outdoors in the open air. He can't breathe! Everybody move back and give him some air! High in the mountains the air is thin and it can be hard to breathe. He pumped air into the bicycle tire. The city is wonderful seen from the air. the fish of the sea and the birds of the air The balloon rose up into the air and then floated through the air. There has been heavy fighting on the ground and in the air.

Verb

The blankets were left outside to air. She opened the windows to air the room. The company had a meeting so that employees could air their complaints. The interview will be aired tomorrow. The interview will air tomorrow.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

With such low dew points (dry air) and few clouds to insulate us, temperatures are able to cool quickly into the 50s by sunrise. — Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: One day of windy weather bliss. Heat and humidity slowly return starting this weekend.," 14 June 2019 The ozone commission is responsible for advising the EPA on issues related to interstate air pollution, helping to develop regional solutions to reduce ozone pollution. — Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland petitions interstate panel to help reduce pollution blowing in from Pennsylvania coal plants," 14 June 2019 Rising air temperatures increase evaporation from soil, plants, lakes and oceans. — Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's climate: Models project 30% increase in rain and snow, plus rising temps," 13 June 2019 Some paintball guns mimic real assault weapons when the hoppers, which hold the balls, and air cartridges are removed. — Mark Puente, latimes.com, "Paintball culprits assaulting bystanders and committing crimes, police say," 13 June 2019 After the surgery, doctors approved Ortiz’s transfer to Boston, and the Boston Red Sox sent an air ambulance to pick up their former star player. — Eric Todisco, PEOPLE.com, "David Ortiz's Wife Tiffany Thanks Friend for His 'Heroism' After Husband Was Shot," 13 June 2019 Museum officials are using air dollies to move the statue through a series of doorways, windows, hairpin turns and tight squeezes. — USA TODAY, "Pride pickup, sphinx on move, Tony Stark’s cabin: News from around our 50 states," 13 June 2019 According to one study published in the international journal Energy, by planting large, shady trees, which help protect homes from excessive sunlight, urban and rural households can save up to 40% and 30% in air conditioning costs respectively. — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, "WATCH: Planting Trees in Your Yard Can Save You Big Bucks in Energy Bills," 13 June 2019 The building, with LED lighting, variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning and automatic lighting and ventilation controls, was awarded commercial certification by Build San Antonio Green. — Scott Huddleston, ExpressNews.com, "New county building offers security, convenience on San Antonio’s North Side," 13 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The programs start airing weeks before July 20, the day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans on the lunar surface. — Hal Boedeker, orlandosentinel.com, "Apollo 11: Moon landing milestone gets epic TV treatment," 11 June 2019 Also, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will be awarded the Regional Theatre Tony Award — look for a clip of the presentation to be aired during the telecast. — Chuck Barney, The Mercury News, "TV this week: ‘Big Little Lies,’ ‘Claws’ and ‘Pose’ return," 9 June 2019 Ever since the series began airing in May, Chernobyl touring agencies have documented 30- to 40-percent rises in people wanting to see the area of Pripyat, which features heavily in the show, according to a report from the AP. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The World Isn't Over Chernobyl," 6 June 2019 Aaron has never wanted want to air this out in a public forum. — Ale Russian, PEOPLE.com, "Olivia Munn Recalls a Past Relationship That Made Her Feel 'Worthless': I 'Put Myself Second'," 6 June 2019 Below is our growing list of bars and restaurants that plan to air all or many of the World Cup games. — Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive.com, "Where to watch the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Portland: Bars, pubs, food specials, more," 5 June 2019 At any rate, Saunders notes that any changes in play will likely not be discernible until (at the earliest) September, when Jeopardy’s next season will start airing. — Joe Pinsker, The Atlantic, "James Holzhauer Prompted a Fundamental Question About Jeopardy," 4 June 2019 Footage of the incident appears to have aired as part of a Feb. 13 episode. — Tracy Swartz, chicagotribune.com, "Man sues 'Black Ink Crew: Chicago' cast members over alleged injuries," 3 June 2019 After taking photos of the rental, Ben Speller took to the public Facebook group The Spurs Show to air out his distress. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "An Airbnb Advertised As a “Clean Home” With a “Private Bathroom” is Really Just a Shipping Container," 14 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'air.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near air

Statistics for air

Last Updated

17 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for air

The first known use of air was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for air

air

noun

English Language Learners Definition of air

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the invisible mixture of gases (such as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the Earth and that people and animals breathe

: the space or sky that is filled with air

: methods of travel that involve flying

air

verb

English Language Learners Definition of air (Entry 2 of 2)

: to place something in an open area where there is a lot of moving air to make it cool, dry, or clean

: to allow air from the outside to enter something (such as a room) so that it becomes fresher or cleaner

: to make (something) known in public : to state (something) publicly

See the full definition for air in the English Language Learners Dictionary

air

noun

\ ˈer

Kids Definition of air

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the invisible mixture of odorless tasteless gases that surrounds the earth

2 : the space or sky that is filled with air The balloon rose up into the air.

3 : air that is compressed I filled the car's tires with air.

4 : outward appearance : a quality that a person or thing has He has an air of mystery about him.

5 : aircraft travel by air

6 : aviation sense 1

7 : a radio or television broadcast He gave a speech on the air.

8 airs plural : an artificial way of acting put on airs

air

verb

aired; airing

Kids Definition of air (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to place in the air for cooling, freshening, or cleaning air blankets

2 : to make known in public air complaints

air

noun

\ ˈa(ə)r, ˈe(ə)r

Medical Definition of air

: a mixture of invisible odorless tasteless sound-transmitting gases that is composed by volume chiefly of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, 0.03 percent carbon dioxide, varying amounts of water vapor, and minute amounts of rare gases (as helium), that surrounds the earth with half its mass within four miles of the earth's surface, that has a pressure at sea level of about 14.7 pounds per square inch, and that has a density of 1.293 grams per liter at 0°C and 760 mm pressure