Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

breath of fresh air

Idioms  
  1. New and refreshing, as in His arrival was like a breath of fresh air. This term transfers the idea of fresh air to a new approach or welcome arrival, and has largely replaced both the earlier breath of heaven and breath of spring, although the latter is still heard occasionally. [Mid-1800s]


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.

See Examples For:

Platner, who turned 40 during the campaign, found immense support from other male Democrats close to his age who saw his campaign as the breath of fresh air the party needed to stay relevant.

From Salon Aug. 6, 2026

"I hope he's a breath of fresh air," the lawmaker told AFP.

From Barron's Jul. 9, 2026

One fund manager who met with him earlier this year said his uncompromising approach was a breath of fresh air compared to BP’s previous management.

From The Wall Street Journal May 27, 2026

Judy describes Roxy as "a breath of fresh air" and says people should not be put off fostering.

From BBC Feb. 3, 2026

Then I took one last look around, inhaled one final breath of fresh air, and carried my bag through the front door and into the lobby.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training