as in alive
having or showing life
realized that he didn't need a comic-book superhero, since he had a real, breathing hero in his father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in snoring
to inhale and exhale air
sometimes it gets so hot in here that it's hard to even breathe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in living
to have life
as long as I breathe, you will have a place to stay
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 breathing
Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Perform 8–12 slow reps per side, focusing on keeping the lower back flat and breathing steadily.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
The new efforts in air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) systems promise to revolutionize how satellites operate—especially in extremely low Earth orbits.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Urban also used a combination of fentanyl and Versed, which is known to cause patients to stop breathing and have low blood oxygen and requires careful monitoring, according to a 1990 study in the medical journal Anesthesiology.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing
Verb
In a statement to TMZ, FDNY responded to the theater for a person who was having trouble breathing.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Perform 8–12 slow reps per side, focusing on keeping the lower back flat and breathing steadily.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
The new efforts in air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) systems promise to revolutionize how satellites operate—especially in extremely low Earth orbits.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Urban also used a combination of fentanyl and Versed, which is known to cause patients to stop breathing and have low blood oxygen and requires careful monitoring, according to a 1990 study in the medical journal Anesthesiology.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathing
Adjective
-
Whether biennials or museum shows, exhibitions are spaces for learning about images, the world, and the pains and delights of being alive.—
Raphael Fonseca,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Kelley, one of the most prolific TV creators alive, has produced multiple series with Apple TV.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mouth breathing is also closely tied to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, both of which compound the cardiovascular risk over time.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Scientifically speaking, snoring is just a vibration.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Other rabbits end up in her shelter after living their lives in a laboratory.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Elders living alone who can no longer cook or clean, who stopped paying their bills or answering the door, who aren’t taking their meds or bathing themselves, who are lost or don’t remember to turn off a stove might get a visit from an adult protective investigator.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Huskies coach ripped into the officiating during a live TV interview and then had a heated argument with Staley in the final seconds of their 62-48 loss to the Gamecocks.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Shailin Asadollahi told me that her family’s group chat had turned into a live feed of ad-hoc forensics, chronicling their efforts to find her brother.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breathing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
