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

PepsiCo, which owns the massive Frito-Lay snacking empire, has more breathing space than most.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Palace seem to have stabilised again, and have picked up a couple of wins to give themselves some breathing space over the bottom three.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

She suggests that getting breathing space from stress can restore energy, which is something Nielsen is doing.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

Arne Engels converted a penalty with Celtic cruising, but Utrecht pulled it back to within one until Auston Trusty's header gave the hosts some more breathing space.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

His response to the mounting demands was not to reorder priorities to give his staff and graduate students some breathing space, but to add a late-night shift to keep the cyclotron running around the clock.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• breather
• breathing room