breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
1
: one that breathes
2
: a break in activity for rest or relief
3
: a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Buxton gets a breather after an eventful week Byron Buxton was out of the lineup Sunday, but only because Baldelli wanted to give him a breather. Dan Hayes, New York Times, 21 July 2025 Give your palate a breather from wine with craft cocktails or expertly executed classics at this intimate, witchy McMinnville eatery. Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025 Rashford can play in various positions for FC Barcelona Most wanted for the left wing to provide relief for Raphinha, who could either be rested or also switch to the right to give Lamine a breather, Rashford might also be able to act as a central 9 in Robert Lewandowski’s absence for FC Barcelona. Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025 Getty Images Ether climbed to end the week as President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act stablecoin legislation into law, while bitcoin and its proxies took a breather. Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for breather

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breather was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breather. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

breather

noun
breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
1
: one that breathes
2
: a pause for rest : break

Medical Definition

breather

noun
breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
: one that breathes usually in a specified way see mouth breather

More from Merriam-Webster on breather

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!