breather
Americannoun
-
breathers
plural
-
a pause, as for breath.
- Synonyms:
- intermission, recess, timeout, break, rest
-
vigorous exercise that causes heavy breathing.
-
a person who breathes.
-
a vent in a container or covering, as in a casing for machinery or in a storage tank, to equalize interior and exterior pressure, permit entry of air, escape of fumes, or the like.
-
a device for providing air from the atmosphere to submerged or otherwise sealed-off persons, internal-combustion engines, etc..
the snorkel breather of a submarine.
noun
-
informal a short pause for rest
-
a person who breathes in a specified way
a deep breather
-
a vent in a container to equalize internal and external pressure, such as the pipe in the crankcase of an internal-combustion engine
-
a small opening in a room, container, cover, etc, supplying air for ventilation
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of breather
First recorded in 1350–1400, breather is from the Middle English word brethere. See breathe, -er 1
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:
A paycheck boost may be giving low-income workers a breather.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Last week, Indonesia’s central bank held interest rates steady, taking a breather after delivering 100 basis points of rate increases over May and June.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Tech investors may be merely taking a breather as opposed to expressing genuine fear and doubt about the health of the tech/AI rally.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Nothing that caused Brazil a scintilla of concern, but it was a breather, a break from the tormenting ways of Brazil's phenomenon on the left wing if nothing else.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
“I could use a breather anyhow. Puttin' in damp courses is a killer. I must be stark raving mad doin' it meself.”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
The idea of Cirque du Soleil might invite images of extravagant live shows with clowns, acrobats and fire breathers.
From New York Times ● Jul. 23, 2023
With Wilson and the offense continually coming out of halftime incapable of staying on the field, the defense isn’t getting any breathers and is gassed by crunch time.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2022
Wrigley was reminded Thursday that in a major championship, his first, there are no breathers or easy holes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2022
During breathers when she’s standing away from the Washington Mystics’ sideline.
From Washington Post ● May 7, 2022
Pretty soon it sounded like the five other breathers in the shed had left.
From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Definitions 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.
