breathe

verb \ ˈbrēt͟h \

|Updated on: 19 Aug 2018

Definition of breathe

breathed; breathing

1 a : to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : respire; broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes

b : to inhale and exhale freely

2 : to blow softly

3 : live

4 : to pause and rest before continuing

5 : to feel free of restraint

needs room to breathe

6 a : to permit passage of air or vapor

a fabric that breathes

b of an internal combustion engine : to use air to support combustion

c : to be cooled or dried by air that passes by or through

clothing that allows your skin to breathe

7 of wine : to develop flavor and bouquet by exposure to air

8 a : to become perceptible : be expressed

a personality that breathes and that distinguishes his work
—Bennett Schiff

b obsolete : to emit a fragrance or aura

transitive verb

1 : to inhale and exhale

breathe air

2 a : to send out by exhaling

b : to instill by or as if by breathing

breathe new life into the movement

3 : to take in in breathing

breathe the scent of pines

4 a : utter, express

don't breathe a word of it to anyone

b : to make manifest : evince

the novel breathes despair

5 : to give rest from exertion to

6 : to spend a great deal of time, thought, or effort on (something) : to be wholly devoted to (some interest or activity)

The Virginia native may not breathe basketball 24-7 … but during games and practice, his focus is second to none.
—Robbi Pickeral

As with visiting companies, one of the key reasons for going to conferences is to avoid the tunnel vision that can overcome managers who live and breathe their business.
—Leslie Brokaw

— breathe down one's neck

1 : to threaten especially in attack or pursuit

2 : to keep one under close or constant surveillance

parents always breathing down his neck

— breathe easy or breathe easier or breathe easily or breathe freely

: to enjoy relief (as from pressure or danger)

See breathe defined for English-language learners

See breathe defined for kids

Examples of breathe in a Sentence

No one was more grief-stricken by Lincoln's assassination than Stanton, who spoke the imperishable words as the president breathed his last: "Now he belongs to the ages." —James M. McPherson, New York Times Book Review, 6 Nov. 2005
… The tinder burned all right, but that was as far as I got. I blew on it, I breathed on it, I cupped it in my hands, but no sooner did I add twigs than the whole thing went black. —Jean Craighead George, My Side of the Mountain, (1959) 2001
However, liquid nitrogen is not used for higher levels of fog because breathing this substance is unsafe. Dry ice is a safer material, and can be used either at ground level or higher. —Patricia D. Netzley, Encylopedia Of Movie Special Effects, 2000
Earth is surrounded by a life-giving gaseous envelope called the atmosphere. This thin blanket of air is an integral part of the planet. It not only provides the air that we breathe but also acts to protect us from the dangerous radiation emitted by the Sun. —Frederick K. Lutgens et al., The Atmosphere, 1979/2001
He was breathing hard from running.
The patient suddenly stopped breathing.
I can hardly breathe with all this smoke.
He wants to live where he can breathe clean air.
a dragon that breathes fire
People usually contract the virus by breathing contaminated air.
Breathe deeply and then exhale.
I'll never give up as long as I'm still breathing.
a living, breathing human being

Recent Examples of breathe from the Web

Principal Megan Baker reminded the graduates to breathe and take in the moment.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "TMHS Grads Challenged To Change The World," 26 June 2018
Though the deceased cannot be reanimated, communication with the dead breathes new life into difficult situations.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "A Beginner’s Guide to Communicating With Spirits on the Other Side," 19 June 2018
New Zealand was a shock to our system: to slow down, to breathe oxygen, and to take in all of the beautiful landscapes that are there.

— lale arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, "What One Couple Learned from Traveling the World Together," 13 June 2018
But his uncle Sergio (Terry Crews) is breathing down his neck for the rent.

— katie walsh, kansascity, "‘Sorry to Bother You’ skewers corporate and cultural corruption," 12 July 2018
The Los Angeles Police Department released a statement about the incident, noting that Ceja was not breathing when authorities were called to the scene around 8:30 p.m.

— char adams, PEOPLE.com, "12-Year-Old California Girl Crushed to Death by Fallen Horse as Sister, 4, Fights for Her Life," 12 July 2018
Freeman wrote in a report that Moore was breathing heavily, having difficulties focusing and acting paranoid.

— nichole manna, star-telegram, "Graham police release video of officers using stun gun on teen with autism," 12 July 2018
One of the main challenges with long-distance space flight is transporting enough oxygen for astronauts to breathe and enough fuel to power complex electronics.

— charles w. dunnill, Scientific American, "Method of Making Oxygen from Water in Zero Gravity Raises Hope for Long-Distance Space Travel," 10 July 2018
Lead poisoning is caused by swallowing or breathing lead.

— jennie key, Cincinnati.com, "Ballfield at sports complex will remain closed until lead is removed," 2 July 2018

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