1
as in to expel
to let or force out of the lungs
before answering, the suspect exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to radiate
to throw or give off
the lilacs were exhaling a sweet fragrance that virtually filled the room
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 exhale
But the softball game and Penelope’s birthday allowed him — and Ashlyn — to exhale and get centered once again.
—
Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
After another season high Wednesday, Bates lowered his forehead to the ice and exhaled deeply.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Before taking his starting position, Malinin filled his cheeks with air and exhaled deeply several times.
—Alice Park, Time, 11 Feb. 2026
This felt really accessible as a guest just craving a stiff Pisco sour and a place to exhale slowly.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exhale
Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
After another season high Wednesday, Bates lowered his forehead to the ice and exhaled deeply.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Before taking his starting position, Malinin filled his cheeks with air and exhaled deeply several times.
—Alice Park, Time, 11 Feb. 2026
This felt really accessible as a guest just craving a stiff Pisco sour and a place to exhale slowly.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exhale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhale
Verb
-
Her 13-year-old son goes to the same high school as two of the suspects, who are in the process of being expelled.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, much of Iraq rose up to expel US ground forces, and the war dragged on for eight years.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hearts radiated from her headpiece to her hem, with a single heart placed near her pelvis.—
Anika Burgess,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Kidman radiated in a double-breasted suit dress with a completely sheer shredded ballgown skirt.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the letter, the groups — including the Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and NextGen California — called for the state to set stricter limits on how much covered entities can emit under the program.—
Chaewon Chung
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Desalination is energy-intensive, with plants worldwide producing between 500 and 850 million tons of carbon emissions annually, approaching the roughly 880 million tons emitted by the entire global aviation industry.—
Annika Hammerschlag,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now, in New York, the legs, torso, and arms—cast in cement and plaster at various locations during my travels—have been assembled into a life-size sculpture measuring over six feet tall, echoing Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan.—
Li Qi,
Artforum,
6 Mar. 2026
-
As Liza Mandelup was casting her new short documentary about the fans of Luigi Mangione, images of the 27-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson began to infiltrate her algorithms.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lesli Boese told the judge Thursday that Casap was too dangerous to ever be released from prison.—
Todd Richmond,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The government released thousands more documents in the decades that followed before establishing AARO to investigate sightings and publish reports.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With her hair cropped into a sleek, chocolate-brown bob with a side-part, Zendaya's look emanated French-girl chic, a pop of red on the lip providing the only real color and a pair of simple diamond hoops offering a rare glimpse of glitz.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Representing a departure from the artist’s preferred medium of wood, the monument curves outward from a narrow base, its vertical form and vaguely human contours seeming to emanate light, notwithstanding the material’s heft.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maintaining operational compatibility across both submarine generations is intended to preserve continuity within the United States’ nuclear triad as the fleet evolves, reports Army Recognition.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Within the marathoning world, the introduction of a nonbinary division is relatively new and has been a quickly evolving issue.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exhale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhale. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
