breathing space
noun
: some time in which to recover, get organized, or get going
called also breathing room, breathing spell
Examples of breathing space in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lawmakers often intentionally craft funding bills to expire on Fridays to give themselves some breathing space to finalize a deal before the start of the work week.
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CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
The auction gives some breathing space to the market after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s pitch to remove the sales tax on food for two years set off a period of unprecedented volatility.
—Mia Glass, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
The former Madrid, Liverpool and Spain midfielder was only hired in May, but by December there was real pressure on him — before a series of victories seemed to buy him some breathing space.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
For those with existing high levels of debt, a lower interest rate could provide some breathing space.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing space
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CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
The auction gives some breathing space to the market after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s pitch to remove the sales tax on food for two years set off a period of unprecedented volatility.
—Mia Glass, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
The former Madrid, Liverpool and Spain midfielder was only hired in May, but by December there was real pressure on him — before a series of victories seemed to buy him some breathing space.
—Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
For those with existing high levels of debt, a lower interest rate could provide some breathing space.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing space
Cite this Entry
“Breathing space.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breathing%20space. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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