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
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
Art and art-making are so vital to life and to breathing.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 25 May 2026
Most of the case for sleep draws from the broader slow-breathing research base rather than trials designed around this exact pattern.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 23 May 2026
Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that fills the lungs with fluid, making breathing difficult.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing
Verb
Better quality on the chances created is another path to breathing life into a potential comeback.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
Art and art-making are so vital to life and to breathing.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 25 May 2026
Most of the case for sleep draws from the broader slow-breathing research base rather than trials designed around this exact pattern.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 23 May 2026
Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that fills the lungs with fluid, making breathing difficult.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for breathing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathing
Adjective
-
Production used 350 litres of fake blood, 3 million litres of water and broke the world record by burning 23 people alive in one take, and the latter not even for the Battle of the Gullet.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
On a day in mid-July, three men kidnapped a bus full of schoolchildren and forced their captives into an underground bunker where they were buried alive.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The warning signs in men include snoring while women often experience unrefreshing slumber, daytime fatigue or feeling exhausted despite spending enough time in bed.—
Emily Cegielski,
Flow Space,
4 June 2026
-
Based on the idea that keeping the mouth closed during sleep may improve breathing, snoring and sleep quality, mouth taping has gone viral in recent years.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
De Vie The hyper-seasonal, nose-to-tail dishes at De Vie are designed to pair alongside cocktails crafted from French and housemade spirits, and the nonalcoholic versions play just as large a role in the restaurant and bar’s living laboratory of infusions and tinctures.—
Lane Nieset,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World screw-worm fly, or screw-worm for short, is a species of parasitic fly that is well known for the way in which its larvae (maggots) eat the living tissue.—
Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
In May 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins blocked all imports of live cattle, horses and bison across the United States' southern border with Mexico.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
29 May 2026
-
The inspector saw a live roach and a dead roach in the facility, some cooked meat that wasn’t being cooled properly and reported that the hot water heater wasn’t working.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
When the soil becomes saturated from overwatering, the pores fill with water, limiting oxygen and preventing the roots from respiring.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breathing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
