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
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Recent Examples of breather
French President Emmanuel Macron wants European businesses to take a breather from investing in the U.S., at least until President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs have more clarification.
—
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 7 Apr. 2025
Hunting for a tying goal in the third, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette gave the top two lines a breather and sent out Sam Carrick, Jonny Brodzinski and Kreider — all guys who have scored a few this season.
—Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025
If the atmosphere feels tense, a spontaneous, light-hearted remark can serve as a welcome breather.
—Paul Boross Mbe, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Dani Olmo moves across to the left wing, so that a Raphinha called one of the best players in the world by Osasuna coach Vicente Moreno can catch a breather and Gavi can begin the proceedings as a CAM.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breather
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 7 Apr. 2025
Hunting for a tying goal in the third, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette gave the top two lines a breather and sent out Sam Carrick, Jonny Brodzinski and Kreider — all guys who have scored a few this season.
—Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025
If the atmosphere feels tense, a spontaneous, light-hearted remark can serve as a welcome breather.
—Paul Boross Mbe, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Dani Olmo moves across to the left wing, so that a Raphinha called one of the best players in the world by Osasuna coach Vicente Moreno can catch a breather and Gavi can begin the proceedings as a CAM.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for breather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breather
Noun
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And sometimes, a pause that lingers a moment longer than expected can speak louder than any update.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
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Join 87 others in the comments View Comments The survey was conducted from April 17 to 24, after the White House first announced expansive new tariffs on dozens of countries, and then called a pause on many of them.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
Noun
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There may be long lulls between meteors, so try to be patient between visible bursts of activity.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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The brief lull of semi-normality presented in Episode 1 has been shattered.—
Mary McNamara,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Pain at injection sites for people who use intramuscular (IM) vitamins Allergic reactions Fever Itching Rash Shortness of breath Rapid weight gain People who use B12 injections are more prone to allergic reactions than those using oral medications.—
Emmanuella Ogbonna,
Health,
29 Apr. 2025
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To many in Democratic politics and state government, Berman is a breath of fresh air.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Travelers will need to show documents with the following in order to get a REAL ID-compliant license or ID, per DHS: Need a break?—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Exposure to natural light and fresh air can help regulate your sleep cycle and give your mind a break from screens or daily stressors.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breather. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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