plural airs
1
a
: the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (such as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth
also
: the equivalent mix of gases on another celestial object (such as a planet)
… the thin, frigid air of Mars. —
Stefano S. Coledan
Stefano S. Coledan
b
: a light breeze
c
archaic
: breath
2
b(1)
: the medium of transmission of radio waves
(2)
: airtime
3
a
: outward appearance of a thing
an air of luxury
b
: a surrounding or pervading influence : atmosphere
an air of mystery
c
: the look, appearance, or bearing of a person especially as expressive of some personal quality or emotion : demeanor
an air of dignity
d
: an artificial or affected manner
put on airs
4
a
: nothingness
—usually used in the phrases into thin air and out of thin air
vanished/disappeared into thin air
… nor did any of them seem to have noticed that six people had just melted into thin air in front of them.—J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling… jobs can't just be created out of thin air.—The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
b
: empty space
c
old-fashioned
: a sudden severance of relations
She gave me the air.
5
6
: an air-conditioning system
a house with central air
7
: public utterance
He gave air to his opinion.
8
: a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass
Trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air.
9
: the height achieved in performing an aerial maneuver
a snowboarder catching big air
also
: the maneuver itself
10
airlessness
noun
see also:
Examples of air in a Sentence
These laws are meant to produce cleaner air.
A delicious smell filled the air.
I like to dine outdoors in the open air.
He can't breathe! Everybody move back and give him some air!
High in the mountains the air is thin and it can be hard to breathe.
He pumped air into the bicycle tire.
The city is wonderful seen from the air.
the fish of the sea and the birds of the air
The balloon rose up into the air and then floated through the air.
There has been heavy fighting on the ground and in the air.
Recent Examples on the Web
The air in Norway is exceptionally dry.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Ultra-high-purity nitrogen gas flows into the mask, and that displaces breathable air until none is left.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 June 2026
The execution method, which involves strapping a respirator onto the inmate's face and replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by lack of oxygen, has been criticized by opponents as inhumane and torturous.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
And not just to the people who throw pints in the air whenever England score at a major tournament.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for air
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.
Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Ultra-high-purity nitrogen gas flows into the mask, and that displaces breathable air until none is left.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 June 2026
The execution method, which involves strapping a respirator onto the inmate's face and replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by lack of oxygen, has been criticized by opponents as inhumane and torturous.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
And not just to the people who throw pints in the air whenever England score at a major tournament.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for air
Cite this Entry
“Air.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
air
1 of 2 noun
ˈa(ə)r 
ˈe(ə)r
1
a
: the invisible mixture of odorless tasteless gases (as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth
b
: a light breeze
2
: the state of being empty or nothing
—usually used in the phrase into thin air
vanished into thin air
4
a
: outward appearance
an air of mystery
b
plural
: an artificial way of acting
put on airs
5
: compressed air
put air in a tire
7
a
: the substance through which radio waves travel
b
: a radio or television broadcast
went on the air
8
: an air-conditioning system
turn on the air
9
: the height achieved in performing a maneuver in the air
a snowboarder catching big air
air
2 of 2 verb1
: to place in the air for cooling, freshening, or cleaning
air blankets
2
: to make known in public
air one's complaints
3
: to broadcast on radio or television
Medical Definition
air
noun
: a mixture of invisible odorless tasteless sound-transmitting gases that is composed by volume chiefly of 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, 0.03 percent carbon dioxide, varying amounts of water vapor, and minute amounts of rare gases (as helium), that surrounds the earth with half its mass within four miles of the earth's surface, that has a pressure at sea level of about 14.7 pounds per square inch, and that has a density of 1.293 grams per liter at 0°C and 760 mm pressure
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