breather

noun

breath·er | \ ˈbrē-t͟hər

Definition of breather

1 : one that breathes

2 : a break in activity for rest or relief

3 : a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about breather

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Examples of breather in a Sentence

He decided to give them a breather. took a breather from the seemingly endless task of sorting through years of stuff stored in the attic

Recent Examples on the Web

At issue: That unforgettable moment where Goldblum's mathematician character Dr. Ian Malcolm took a sultry breather after a Tyrannosaurus Rex attack.with his shirt unbuttoned. — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, "Watch: Jeff Goldblum lampooned for that infamous 'Jurassic Park' shirtless scene," 25 May 2018 Aleksandr Erokhin goes down after a hard collision in the Croatian penalty area, which is either a serious problem for Russia, which is out of substitutions, or a convenient opportunity for everyone to take a breather. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Russia Finally Falls, Leaving a Trail of Admirers and Doubters," 8 July 2018 Technology stocks, which have powered the market this year, took a breather after leading Monday’s modest charge higher. — David Hodari And Allison Prang, WSJ, "U.S. Stocks Slip Ahead of Holiday," 3 July 2018 Instead of taking a breather afterward, Urie immediately made the uncharacteristically triumphant sixth Panic! — Chris Martins, Billboard, "Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie on How Cross-Dressing & 'Kinky Boots' Inspired Their New Album," 15 June 2018 Daily Pilot July means the start of a breather period for most theatrical-producing organizations — but definitely not UC Irvine, where the New Swan Theater recently launched its seventh mini-season previews. — Timesoc, latimes.com, "TimesOC: Police release DNA snapshot of possible suspect in girl’s 1973 slaying," 11 July 2018 Hula hooper Jenny Klimantova and fire breather Nathan Spare are from Orlando. — Hal Boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Reality TV: Central Florida hopefuls shine," 11 July 2018 Though the last few years have seen rents in the city level out, the breather came only after a relentless, yearslong climb, and rents remain prohibitively high for many New Yorkers in their 20s and 30s. — Kim Velsey, New York Times, "Finding Your First Apartment," 1 June 2018 Scott also never dropped a pass last season. Smells like a healthy combination of Ingram and Kamara in case either back needs a breather or suffers an injury. — Larry Holder, NOLA.com, "Think Aaron Stecker with new Saints RB Boston Scott," 28 Apr. 2018

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