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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of breather
Preseason games are dress rehearsals for most teams anyway, and a second bye week would help players get healthier and get a breather in the midst of the battle.
—
Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Back at Mill Creek Park, amid a crowd of protesters taking a breather after the march, one demonstrator flies a kite.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Heading into one of their longer breaks of the season, the Minnesota Wild looked like a team in need of a breather on Saturday.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
Afterwards, take a welcome breather at nearby Hidden Gem Coffee, filled with mismatched, upcycled furniture (including car parts transformed into chairs).
—Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breather
Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Back at Mill Creek Park, amid a crowd of protesters taking a breather after the march, one demonstrator flies a kite.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
Heading into one of their longer breaks of the season, the Minnesota Wild looked like a team in need of a breather on Saturday.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
Afterwards, take a welcome breather at nearby Hidden Gem Coffee, filled with mismatched, upcycled furniture (including car parts transformed into chairs).
—Tamara Hinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breather
Noun
-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to Russia a pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Leon, in issuing the temporary pause, concluded that the preservationist group behind the legal challenge was likely to succeed because the president lacks the authority to build the ballroom without approval from Congress.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not all parts of the country seem to have the same pattern, although the data points to school breaks as relative lulls.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Artemi Panarin – aka Bread Man, in a play on Panera Bread – dragged the top line and power-play units back into the fight after a lull as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
You’d be surprised how many students hold their breath while exercising.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
While the Dutch Caribbean island has no shortage of first-rate beaches (Playa Lagun and Playa Porto Marie will take your breath away), those are just the start of the many destinations that deserve to be on your must-see list.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Phoenix bounced back to cut the deficit to 65-62 at the break after Green completed a four-point play — hitting a 3 while being fouled — with one second remaining.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
According to the Baltimore Department of Public Works’ website, the break occurred at the intersection of Druid Park Drive and Reisterstown Road in the Liberty Square neighborhood near the communities of Druid Hill Park and Park Circle.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breather. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
