breathe

verb

ˈbrēt͟h

breathed; breathing

Synonyms of breathe next

intransitive verb

: to draw air into and expel it from the lungs : respire

broadly : to take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide through natural processes

: to inhale and exhale freely

: to blow softly

: live

: to pause and rest before continuing

: to feel free of restraint

needs room to breathe

: to permit passage of air or vapor

a fabric that breathes

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

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

clothing that allows your skin to breathe

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

: to become perceptible : be expressed

a personality that breathes and that distinguishes his work—

Bennett Schiff

obsolete : to emit a fragrance or aura

transitive verb

: to inhale and exhale

breathe air

: to send out by exhaling

: to instill by or as if by breathing

breathe new life into the movement

: to take in in breathing

breathe the scent of pines

: utter, express

don't breathe a word of it to anyone

: to make manifest : evince

the novel breathes despair

: to give rest from exertion to

: 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

Phrases

breathe down one's neck

: to threaten especially in attack or pursuit

: 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)

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 See More

Recent Examples on the Web The smoke came from the Canadian wildfires, mixed with the intense heat and humidity to create particularly noxious air for Midwesterners to breathe. —

Win McCormack, The New Republic, 14 Sep. 2023 Symptoms include a persistent headache, nausea, swelling of face or hands, changes in vision, stomach pain and trouble breathing. —

Julie Washington, cleveland, 11 Sep. 2023 In the hall, one heard the special sound of some 400 people not breathing. —

Jeremy Yudkin, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 Severe symptoms of the disease can include vomiting, breathing difficulties, feeling faint, appetite changes and unexplained weight loss. —

Jonel Aleccia, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2023 By then, the Wildcats finally could breathe easier. —

Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 9 Sep. 2023 Some prehistoric marine reptiles came to the surface to breathe or returned to land to lay their eggs. —

Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2023 This stylistic strategy of de-acceleration opens up the senses of the reader to breathe in the ongoing extinction that hovers over us all. —

Carol Muske-Dukes, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2023 Just take time this month to breathe, relax, and enjoy the present moment. —

Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'breathe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.