breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a break in activity for rest or relief

3

: a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

Synonyms of breather

• pause
• lull
• breath
• break

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

With only two teams involved at the same time, the other were afforded a brief breather. — James Pearce, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

The Cockroach movement – named in the wake of a disparaging comment India’s chief justice made about unemployed youth – is now taking a breather, preparing, its leaders say, to throw its weight behind other issues affecting young Indians. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026

After what Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self believes was a highly successful two-month summer set of workouts, the 14 Jayhawk players on the 2026-27 roster have headed to their hometowns for a month-long breather. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026

Blount and Lightfoot were part of Miami’s second wave of pass rushers who filled in when Bain and Mesidor needed rare breathers. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing breather

• mouth breather

Rhymes for breather

• either
• neither

Kids Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a pause for rest : break

Medical Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

: one that breathes usually in a specified way see mouth breather