breathy
Americanadjective
adjective
-
(of the speaking voice) accompanied by an audible emission of breath
-
(of the singing voice) lacking resonance
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of breathy
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:
The president, played by a breathy, beleaguered Idris Elba and known only by his call sign, “Icon,” is of indeterminate party and ideology.
From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2026
With her original, breathy way of speaking, stressing odd syllables and stretching random vowels to the breaking point, her mad fashions and family of wigs, Moira is a sketch character with depth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
The attraction is in the haunting texture of the picture, its delicate, breathy wonder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
Despite her small, breathy voice and heavily accented French, Birkin became a major interpreter of Gainsbourg’s songs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
We are working towards the goal of a little garden for each one, each one of you — the clasped hands again, the breathy voice — and that’s just one for instance.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Trans women usually seek out a higher pitched, breathier voice as these are traits typically perceived as feminine.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 17, 2023
The study also found that the longer someone underwent vocal therapy, the larger their glottal gap became, giving them a higher pitch and breathier voice.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 17, 2023
Their laughs are lower-pitched and breathier than that of humans.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 2, 2018
At first the nasal, twerpy whine deepened and straightened itself out into something breathier and more emotional; then the emotion slowly drained away until he became austere.
From New York Times ● Apr. 10, 2011
But, actually, I’m gasping between each word, so it’s breathier than that.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
Ms. Jepsen is at her breathiest here: “I wanna play this for you all the time/I wanna play this for you when you’re feeling used and tired.”
From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2015
She also did her breathiest “Hi, I’m Elizabeth Taylor” to Edward Albee, the playwright of “Virginia Woolf.”
From New York Times ● Jun. 9, 2011
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