breathe

American  

[breeth] / brið /

verb (used without object)

• breathes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• breathed,
  past participle,  past
• breathing
  present participle

1. 

   to take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it; inhale and exhale; respire.

2. (in speech) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds.

3. to pause, as for breath or rest.

   How about giving me a chance to breathe?

4. to move gently or blow lightly, as air.

5. to live; exist.

   Hardly a person breathes who has not known great sorrow.

6. to be redolent or suggestive.

   a poem breathing of the sights and sounds of a rustic life.

7. (of a material) to allow air and moisture to pass through easily.

   The jacket is comfortable because the fabric breathes.

8. (of the skin) to absorb oxygen and give off perspiration.

9. (of a wine) to be exposed to air after being uncorked, in order to develop flavor and bouquet.

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verb (used with object)

• breathes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• breathed,
  past participle,  past
• breathing
  present participle

1. to inhale and exhale in respiration.

2. to exhale.

   Dragons breathe fire.

3. to inject as if by breathing; infuse.

   She breathed life into the party.

4. to give utterance to; whisper.

   She breathed a prayer of thanks when everyone escaped the fire unharmed.

5. to express; manifest.

   This coming-of-age novel breathes the torments and joys of adolescence.

   Synonyms:

   divulge, reveal, voice, murmur, tell, utter

6. to allow to rest or recover breath.

   After this next hill, we should breathe the horses.

7. to deprive of breath; tire; exhaust.

8. to cause to pant; exercise.

idioms

1. not breathe a word / syllable, to maintain secrecy; keep a matter confidential.

   I'll tell you if you promise not to breathe a word.

2. breathe one's last, to die.

   He breathed his last and was buried in the churchyard.

3. breathe freely, to have relief from anxiety, tension, or pressure: Also breathe easily, breathe easy.

   Now that the crisis was over, he could breathe freely.

4. breathe down someone's neck,

   1. to be close to someone in pursuit; menace; threaten.

      Police from four states were breathing down his neck.

   2. to watch someone closely so as to supervise or control.

      If everyone keeps breathing down my neck, how can I get my work done?

breathe British  

/ briːð /

verb

1. to take in oxygen from (the surrounding medium, esp air) and give out carbon dioxide; respire

2. (intr) to exist; be alive

   every animal that breathes on earth

3. (intr) to rest to regain breath, composure, etc

   stop your questions, and give me a chance to breathe

4. (intr) (esp of air) to blow lightly

   the wind breathed through the trees

5. (intr) machinery

   1. to take in air, esp for combustion

      the engine breathes through this air filter

   2. to equalize the pressure within a container, chamber, etc, with atmospheric pressure

      the crankcase breathes through this duct

6. (tr) phonetics to articulate (a speech sound) without vibration of the vocal cords Compare voice

7. to exhale or emit

   the dragon breathed fire

8. (tr) to impart; instil

   to breathe confidence into the actors

9. (tr) to speak softly; whisper

   to breathe words of love

10. (tr) to permit to rest

    to breathe a horse

11. (intr) (of a material) to allow air to pass through so that perspiration can evaporate

12. to feel relief

    I could breathe again after passing the exam

13. to stay close to someone, esp to oversee what they are doing

    the cops are breathing down my neck

14. to die or be finished or defeated

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breathe More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing breathe

• as I live and breathe
• breathing space
• not breathe a word

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Usage

Spelling tips for breathe The verb breathe is hard to spell because it is commonly confused with the noun breath, and it only differs by adding a silent e to the end. How to spell breathe: The verb breathe is pronounced [ breeth ] with a long E sound, unlike the noun breath [ breath ]. All that E sound reminds you that there is a final e at the end of breathe.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outbreathe
  verb (used with object)
• prebreathe
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Participles

• breathing
  present
• breathed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• breathe
  simple
• breathes
  simple
• have breathed
  perfect
• has breathed
  perfect
• am breathing
  progressive
• are breathing
  progressive
• is breathing
  progressive
• have been breathing
  perfect progressive
• has been breathing
  perfect progressive

Past

• breathed
  simple
• had breathed
  perfect
• was breathing
  progressive
• were breathing
  progressive
• had been breathing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will breathe
  simple
• will have breathed
  perfect
• will be breathing
  progressive
• will have been breathing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of breathe

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English brethe, brethen, breeth, derivative of breath

Explanation

When you breathe you take air into your lungs and let it out in a regular rhythm. Living things need to breathe to live. This word has several meanings related to living and taking in air. When someone says "As long as I breathe!" they mean "As long as I live!" In music, some silence can let the piece breathe. If you need a moment or room to breathe, you need a break. Wine breathes when it’s uncorked, enhancing its flavor. Breathing life into something gives it new energy. If this explanation has made you nervous, breathe deeply — that helps many people to relax.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

breathe breathes breathed breathing

"With the mask, I will have to breathe heavier," the 27-year-old said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Humans, for instance, can drink through a straw while upside down and still breathe.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

The role is a bit part, but features a showstopping centerpiece number, the kind of song musical theater performers eat, sleep and breathe.

From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026

When we reach him, he is in intensive care, struggling to breathe.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The sun is already blazing, too hot for morning, and the air in the train carriage is thick, making it difficult to breathe.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

But watch to see who breathes a word about Success Academy Bronx K-12, a flagship charter school that’s intended as a model for the nation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The investment decision by Agnico Eagle breathes new life into a mine that China had hoped to run but which ran up against national security concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

The World Health Organization says 99% of the world population breathes in polluted air leading to seven million deaths a year.

From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026

Matt Vogel, who breathes life into Kermit, as well as other characters, and Eric Jacobson, who is Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Animal, among others, are also executive producers on this special.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 4, 2026

But I hug him instead and he breathes in my hair, and that’s pretty amazing, too.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

The staff members behind the claims were found to have breathed it in over long shifts for months and years.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Before going to sleep, the women placed three drops of oil into a paper cup and breathed in the scent for 10 seconds.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Another 17 percent of the world breathed "very poor" air, while five percent was exposed to "good" levels of ozone.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

“Homeowners and renters alike breathed a sigh of relief in June as inflation cooled to 3.5%,” said Rebecca Kaufman, associate director of commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

“Ohh nooo,” I breathed as the volume in the cafeteria went down.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Alexander disease can interfere with movement, thinking, and automatic bodily functions such as breathing and heart rate.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Removing the nodule can take place under general anaesthetic with the patient breathing through a tube.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

He said his Budget "will build on this approach with fiscal discipline helping to deliver economic resilience" and give people "breathing space".

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

It requires adequate staffing, good managers, training, compensation and enough breathing room for employees to exercise judgment.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

Standing next to her, breathing hard, as the police and fire engines and ambulances roared up around us, my arm still around her waist, I turned and smiled.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

Related Words

• exhale
• inhale
• sigh