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in the same breath

Idioms  
  1. Also, in one breath . At or almost at the same time. For example, Ed complains about having too much homework and in the same breath talks about going out every night , or The twins said, in one breath, “More cake, please.” [Mid-1800s]

  2. not in the same breath . Not to be compared. For example, Karen's a good runner, but you can't speak of her in the same breath as an Olympic athlete . Also see in the same league .


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.

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Soccer probably won’t supplant my love for baseball, football, basketball and hockey — but I can now mention it in the same breath as them.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 20, 2026

Any cultural discussion of that era isn’t complete without mentioning them both in the same breath.

From Salon Mar. 27, 2026

It is a role that Cook, himself, has celebrated, talking about the role the iPhone has played in the same breath as what occurred earlier during the civil-rights movement.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 27, 2026

But in almost in the same breath, they point out places that have become markers in this new geography of enforcement.

From Slate Jan. 16, 2026

I caught them complaining about the humidity outside and in the same breath whining that the air-conditioning was too cold inside.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya

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