breathe

verb

\ ˈbrēt͟h

breathed; breathing

Essential Meaning of breathe

1 : to move air into and out of your lungs : to inhale and exhale Relax and breathe deeply. He was breathing hard from running. See More ExamplesThe patient suddenly stopped breathing. I can hardly breathe with all this smoke. He wants to live where he can breathe clean/fresh air.Hide

2 : to send (something) out from your lungs through your mouth or nose a dragon that breathes fire He breathed [=blew] on the glass and wiped it clean.

3 : to take (something) into your lungs through your mouth or nose You shouldn't be breathing [=inhaling] those fumes. People usually contract the virus by breathing contaminated air. Breathe deeply and then exhale.

Full Definition of breathe

intransitive verb

1a : 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

6a : 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

8a : 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

2a : 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

4a : 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)

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About breathe

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 on the Web No one wants to breathe in mold (or things like dust and pet dander), so that's where air purifiers come into play. — Health.com, 17 Jan. 2022 But building a cinematic space in which the language can breathe — in which both the archaic strangeness and the timelessness of the poetry come to life — demands a measure of audacity. — New York Times, 22 Dec. 2021 Then breathe in such way that the book moves as much as possible while your hand stays still, for at least seven minutes. — Jelena Kecmanovic, CNN, 19 Dec. 2021 Face coverings will still be required indoors and on buses, but unlike last season, skiers and snowboarders will be able to breathe freely in lift lines, on chairlifts and in gondolas unless masks are required by local public health authorities. — Thomas Peirpert, courant.com, 8 Nov. 2021 Face coverings will still be required indoors and on buses, but unlike last season, skiers and snowboarders will be able to breathe freely in lift lines, on chairlifts and in gondolas unless masks are required by local public health authorities. — Lisa Rathke And Thomas Peipert, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2021 Unlike furry sea otters, which don’t live this far south, other marine mammals are less susceptible than birds, though cetaceans like whales and dolphins can breathe in harmful vapors from oil, says Mr. Henkel. — Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2021 Just get outside and breathe in the crisp, fresh air. — Essence, 6 Sep. 2021 Is it made with nonwoven textiles that are easier to breathe through compared to heavier cloth fabrics? — Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 8 Jan. 2022

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.