breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a break in activity for rest or relief

3

: a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

Synonyms

• break
• breath
• interruption
• lull
• pause
• recess

Examples of breather in a Sentence

He decided to give them a breather.

took a breather from the seemingly endless task of sorting through years of stuff stored in the attic

Recent Examples on the Web

Little pockets of beauty to give us a breather from all the horror. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

Lopez will contribute on early downs when Reader needs a breather, while Wingo can be a third-down interior pass-rush specialist. —Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Dedicated to giving these animals a breather, shelter caretaker Alex takes dogs out to give them extra attention, love, and a break from excessive barking. —Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

Conclave helmer Edward Berger, meanwhile, isn’t licking his wounds from the Academy’s Best Director snub; his new film — a Netflix production — will likely head straight to the fall festivals, giving him a breather after Conclave‘s last-minute stall at the Oscars. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for breather

• either
• neither

Kids Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a pause for rest : break

Medical Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

: one that breathes usually in a specified way see mouth breather