as in to breathe
to inhale and exhale air
though unconscious, the patient is still respiring
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Recent Examples of respire
And as microbes and other organisms continue to respire, dissolved oxygen levels drop to zero.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The bacteria respired away the carbon and released nitrogen as ammonium.
—Joshua Weitz, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2026
Vegetables that respire at a higher rate keep better in the refrigerator crisper, where food retains more moisture than in the open space of the main refrigerator compartment, which can draw moisture out of produce.
—Anne-Marie Bonneau, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2021
Consider leafy vegetables, which immediately start to respire faster once they are cut.
—Nicola Temple, WSJ, 4 May 2018
The gases are then respired out of the lungs: literal fart breath.
—Brian Resnick, Vox, 3 Apr. 2018
In the 18th century and earlier, most baking was dictated by the delicate whims of respiring yeast.
—Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 20 June 2017
This makes sense, since roots are respiring organs.
—Bonnie Blodgett, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2017
In the soil around their roots, billions of fungi and soil bacteria respire as well.
—Jordan Fisher Smith, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2010
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The bacteria respired away the carbon and released nitrogen as ammonium.
—Joshua Weitz, The Conversation, 13 Jan. 2026
Vegetables that respire at a higher rate keep better in the refrigerator crisper, where food retains more moisture than in the open space of the main refrigerator compartment, which can draw moisture out of produce.
—Anne-Marie Bonneau, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2021
Consider leafy vegetables, which immediately start to respire faster once they are cut.
—Nicola Temple, WSJ, 4 May 2018
The gases are then respired out of the lungs: literal fart breath.
—Brian Resnick, Vox, 3 Apr. 2018
In the 18th century and earlier, most baking was dictated by the delicate whims of respiring yeast.
—Ben Panko, Smithsonian, 20 June 2017
This makes sense, since roots are respiring organs.
—Bonnie Blodgett, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2017
In the soil around their roots, billions of fungi and soil bacteria respire as well.
—Jordan Fisher Smith, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respire
breathe
Verb
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Thanks to its rounded edges and off-the-ground build, the frame still allows the primary bedroom to breathe, even with a moody velvet upholstery.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Asthma, a common lung condition that causes wheezing and trouble breathing by narrowing airways, has long been considered a childhood disease.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Respire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respire. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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