breathing space

American  

[bree-thing speys] / ˈbri ðɪŋ ˌspeɪs /

noun

1. Also called breathing spell.  an opportunity to rest or think.

2. sufficient space in which to move, work, etc..

   The train was so crowded that there was hardly breathing space.

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breathing space British  

noun

1. enough area to permit freedom of movement

   the country gives us some breathing space

2. a pause for rest, etc

   a coffee break was their only breathing space

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breathing space Idioms  

1. Room or time in which to breathe, as in In that crowded hall, there was hardly any breathing space . Previously this term was put as breathing room . [Mid-1600s]

2. A rest or pause. For example, I can't work at this all day; I need some breathing space . This usage replaced the earlier breathing while . [Mid-1600s]

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Etymology

Origin of breathing space

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

In Rohnert Park, Calif., Kay Washburn subscribed to a meditation app that she now opens for a guided breathing exercise every time she feels an urge to scroll through shopping site Temu.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Zhao won over the Roy Thompson Theater by sheparding the audience through a somatic breathing exercise, as she did last week at Telluride.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025

A top 10 single, Grammy award and a breathing exercise that's gone viral.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2025

Try just five minutes and see how you feel when doing your preferred breathing exercise, Spiegel said.

From Washington Post • Mar. 16, 2023

A few minutes spent in vigorous deep breathing exercise after each meal is one of the best means of remedying the sense of heaviness and weight of which so many complain after eating.

From The Royal Road to Health by Tyrrell, Charles Alfred

Related Words

• breather
• breathing room