Synonyms of breather

breather

noun

ˈbrē-t͟hər 

as in pause

a momentary halt in an activity

took a breather from the seemingly endless task of sorting through years of stuff stored in the attic

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pause
• lull
• breath
• break
• interruption
• recess
• rest
• interval
• respite
• interlude
• interim
• time-out
• stopping
• suspension
• intermission
• finishing
• stoppage
• downtime
• cessation
• hiatus
• ending
• hitch
• lapse
• moratorium
• gap
• abeyance
• expiration
• termination
• discontinuance
• discontinuity
• surcease

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• progress
• continuation
• progression
• endurance
• persistence
• extension
• prolongation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of breather

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

The headlong pacing allows nary a breather, though there are enough wry notes, character quirks and offbeat details (remote-control doors, goats, a knife fight on a waterbed) to prevent macho monotony from setting in. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 2026

Couches provide a cozy aesthetic, and a way for artists to change up their set and take a breather. — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026