noun
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the act of inhaling; breathing in of air or other vapours
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an inhalant formulation
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The act of taking in breath. Inhalation results from the negative pressure in the lungs caused by contraction of the diaphragm, which causes it to move downwards and to expand the chest cavity. The resulting flow of air into the lungs restores a pressure equal to that of the atmosphere.
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Also called inspiration
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Compare exhalation
Etymology
Origin of inhalation
Compare meaning
How does inhalation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An inhalation is an inward breath. When you swim to the surface of a pool after being under water, you'll take a deep inhalation. The inhalation of gas fumes is bad for you, while inhalation of scents like peppermint can be very relaxing. If you've ever taken a yoga class, you know there's a lot of talk about breathing, inhalation and exhalation (breathing out). Inhalation comes from the verb inhale, "to breathe in," from the Latin inhalare, "breathe upon."
Vocabulary lists containing inhalation
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 22–April 28, 2023
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Part 3 Vocabulary (Unit 5)
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Shut Up, This Is Serious
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wildfires have piled pressure on already endangered orangutans, forcing local groups and authorities to carry out high-stakes rescues of animals suffering smoke inhalation and burns.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Rapid nanoparticle growth enabled survival to sizes that efficiently deposit throughout the human respiratory system, yielding inhalation dose rates comparable to or exceeding those from primary combustion sources such as traffic emissions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Anthrax is caused by a bacteria called Bacillus anthracis, which largely survives as spores that hide away in soil for years before entering an animal through inhalation or a cut or wound.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
The number of people going to emergency rooms with throat pain and concerns about smoke inhalation increased during this period.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The rest of the world falls away, until there are only the sounds of my steady inhalation and exhalation in contrast with his rattling, wheezing breath.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
