breathed

American

[bretht, breethd] / brɛθt, briðd /

adjective

Phonetics.

not phonated; unvoiced; voiceless.
utilizing the breath exclusively in the production of a speech sound.

breathed British

/ briːðd, brɛθt /

adjective

phonetics relating to or denoting a speech sound for whose articulation the vocal cords are not made to vibrate Compare voiced

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of breathed

First recorded in 1875–80; breath + -ed ³

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.

Quarterly earnings from the small, little-known software provider have breathed life into a stock that is down 41% this year, significantly underperforming the market.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

But they also faced higher risks of violent crime, breathed dirtier air, and waited for the evening news to learn what was happening in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Book publisher Penguin has just breathed new life into the bird that has adorned its book spines since 1935.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

A Clean Air Act rule that was updated in 2024 regulates the smelter’s emissions and, by extension, the air breathed by the 10,000 people who live in these towns.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

Akira’s dad pushed himself up off the couch, wheezing from the smoke he’d breathed in escaping Morris the first time.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023