as in pauses
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 breathers
For both air breathers and water breathers, many chemicals in crude oil target the heart and respiratory function, the immune system, the sensory system and the central nervous system.
—
Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Mouth breathers tend to carry their head forward to open the airway, a subtle shift that can become its own habitual pattern.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Lopez or Joseph-Day would be a rotational run-stuffing nose tackle who could allow Walker to get some breathers or line up elsewhere.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Its one-take formula is made to break you — there are no breathers, the intensity simply keeps building to its apex.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
One is called the 'wonderful whimsy,' (with) fire breathers, jugglers, tarot card readers.
—Tony Peterson, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Mouth breathers tend to carry their head forward to open the airway, a subtle shift that can become its own habitual pattern.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026
Lopez or Joseph-Day would be a rotational run-stuffing nose tackle who could allow Walker to get some breathers or line up elsewhere.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Its one-take formula is made to break you — there are no breathers, the intensity simply keeps building to its apex.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025
One is called the 'wonderful whimsy,' (with) fire breathers, jugglers, tarot card readers.
—Tony Peterson, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathers
Noun
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There are also sections called a Cup of Tea with Meg, conversational pauses that feel like sitting across from someone who is not trying to sell you anything.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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More often than not, the request gets the big kids’ attention, and chaos ceases (pauses) as the three of them roll around singing while Marc and I stand in the doorway kvelling.—
Risa Polansky Shiman,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The quality, however, doesn’t make for a pleasant viewing experience, especially during lulls in the season like the one the Dodgers are currently battling through.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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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
Noun
-
Focus on slow, steady breaths to help your body adapt to the cold.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
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Slow, deep breaths that lengthen the exhale send a signal of safety to the nervous system.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Gauff, playing in her second consecutive Italian Open final, appeared in control of the match in the first set, leading 4-2 with chances to go up by two breaks of serve.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
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Peaks, troughs, breaks, beginnings, and endings shape the quality of decisions.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breathers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathers. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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