inhale

[ in-heyl ]

verb (used with object)

, in·haled, in·hal·ing.

1. to breathe in; draw in by breathing:

   to inhale the polluted air.

verb (used without object)

, in·haled, in·hal·ing.

1. to breathe in, especially the smoke of cigarettes, cigars, etc.:

   Do you inhale when you smoke?

inhale

/ ɪnˈheɪl /

verb

1. to draw (breath) into the lungs; breathe in

Other Words From

• unin·haled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of inhale¹

First recorded in 1715–25; in- ² + (ex)hale

Word History and Origins

Origin of inhale¹

C18: from in- ² + Latin halāre to breathe

Example Sentences

If you tend to inhale your food without realizing how much you consumed, opt for nibbles like in-shell pistachio nuts.

From The Daily Beast

TB, for example, is spread when I inhale the exhaled breath of a person with active disease.

From The Daily Beast

The loftiest noses among the winemakers inhale the finest of scents from the tasting glass and proclaim another masterpiece.

From The Daily Beast

They emit an odor that no human being should inhale, and yet you have.

From The Daily Beast

So of course, Jimmy Fallon took the opportunity to ruin it by forcing Freeman to inhale helium and pitch up his voice.

From The Daily Beast

The helmsman led me to the side of the vessel, and told me to hold my head overboard, and inhale the air.

From Project Gutenberg

I straddled his neck and pushed his head into the milk so that he was forced either to drink it or inhale it.

From Project Gutenberg

As soon as conscious breathing was necessary it was my custom deliberately to inhale on one step and exhale on the next.

From Project Gutenberg

"It's awful the way I inhale," said Slops with a melancholy sigh.

From Project Gutenberg

He felt his forehead begin to burn, so he arose to approach the window and inhale the fresh night breeze.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• puff
• smell
• sniff
• snort
• suck in