1
as in pauses
a momentary halt in an activity
let's all take a breath before continuing this discussion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breezes
a slight or gentle movement of air
a sweet breath caressed her cheek as she sat in the garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hints
an almost imperceptible sign of something
the mornings are already getting warmer, and there is a breath of spring in the air
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 breaths
Talked to some of the higher gods above, give them my thanks and just take a few breaths and get ready for the arena.
—
Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Hitchcock blinked rapidly as the drugs began flowing and took several deep breaths.
—Jeffrey Collins, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Only five breaths to the end of the course.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Other things that could raise BP are white coat hypertension, so try to remain calm (deep breaths, calm mind, and relaxed) in the doctor's office prior to having blood pressure taken.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
Cherrish Martinez saw her 32-year-old boyfriend take his last breaths just outside their backyard door in Commerce City.
—Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Its menthol resin scents the forest, encouraging deep breaths in time with the Atlantic surf on Itapororoca beach, forever within earshot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Women also have more hypopneas (shallow breaths with less oxygen flow), whereas men tend toward apneas (complete pauses in breathing).
—Katie Camero, SELF, 16 Apr. 2026
The first happened on Friday evening, as people across Central Florida held their breaths through the longest six minutes of 2026.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Hitchcock blinked rapidly as the drugs began flowing and took several deep breaths.
—Jeffrey Collins, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Only five breaths to the end of the course.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Other things that could raise BP are white coat hypertension, so try to remain calm (deep breaths, calm mind, and relaxed) in the doctor's office prior to having blood pressure taken.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026
Cherrish Martinez saw her 32-year-old boyfriend take his last breaths just outside their backyard door in Commerce City.
—Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Its menthol resin scents the forest, encouraging deep breaths in time with the Atlantic surf on Itapororoca beach, forever within earshot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Women also have more hypopneas (shallow breaths with less oxygen flow), whereas men tend toward apneas (complete pauses in breathing).
—Katie Camero, SELF, 16 Apr. 2026
The first happened on Friday evening, as people across Central Florida held their breaths through the longest six minutes of 2026.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaths
Noun
-
Business major Andrea Lui found the chatbot’s voice to be surprisingly human, but the conversation felt choppy with odd pauses.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Business major Andrea Lui found the chatbot’s voice to be surprisingly human, but the conversation felt choppy with odd pauses.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Reserve a room for two with common rooms including a cozy living room, a stunning kitchen and porches for mountain breezes.—
Judith Garrison,
AJC.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Mild breezes and bird song swept across the grounds on Friday of Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills — perfect conditions for Arbor Day, a day set aside for people coming together to plant trees.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This desire to find connection in loss hints that death can often be more tangible to process than estrangement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
After downplaying the prospect of a new album in recent interviews, Grande began posting hints to the contrary in March, like a flower emoji in her Instagram bio.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
28 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
-
The Horned Frogs will have to figure out how to avoid the offensive lulls that have plagued them over the last month, including in the last two rounds of the Big 12 tournament.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first course consists of a burrata and prosciutto salad, spicy rigatoni, lamb lollipops or smoked salmon cheese puffs.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
At the top of this list is fernleaf acacia (Acacia baileyana), a wonderful small tree with bipinnate blue-grey leaves and fragrant yellow spherical flower puffs.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This will allow Roman to hunt down exoplanets through flickers, or distortions, in starlight as planets pass in front of stars — assuming the distortions aren't due to starquakes, or some other stellar phenomena.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The rooms Rooms are contemporary in style, decorated in grays and whites with touches of aquamarine in the carpets that reflect the ocean outside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
French interiors blend elegance and comfort with ornate details, vintage finds, and personal touches.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are no easy answers in education, but there are glimmers of hope.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
While the storm is looming, there are new glimmers of possibility—friends can become lovers, strangers can become friends on the subway, the supermarket aisles are charged with meaning.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaths. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
