breath·i·ness
ˈbre-thē-nəs 
plural -es
: the quality of being breathy
singing with a noticeable breathiness
Examples of breathy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Known for her breathy, sultry yet girlish vocal style, Longet achieved significant success on the record charts, beginning with her 1967 debut album, Claudine, and, to a lesser extent, the subsequent The Look of Love (1967) and Love Is Blue (1968).
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Her voice continues to echo in Norah Jones’s breathy understatement, Tracy Chapman’s acoustic urgency and the way Alicia Keys attaches grandeur to a single piano chord.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Smerz, the Norwegian duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt, are ready to unveil another batch of breathy pop songs.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathy
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.
Adjective
Throughout the past ten years, especially, that sound—breathy, close, a little woozy—has become synonymous with a certain artful, confessional, cool-girl aesthetic.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
Known for her breathy, sultry yet girlish vocal style, Longet achieved significant success on the record charts, beginning with her 1967 debut album, Claudine, and, to a lesser extent, the subsequent The Look of Love (1967) and Love Is Blue (1968).
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Her voice continues to echo in Norah Jones’s breathy understatement, Tracy Chapman’s acoustic urgency and the way Alicia Keys attaches grandeur to a single piano chord.
—New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Smerz, the Norwegian duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt, are ready to unveil another batch of breathy pop songs.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathy
Cite this Entry
“Breathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breathy. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
