inhale

[ in-heyl ]

/ ɪnˈheɪl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for inhale on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), in·haled, in·hal·ing.

to breathe in; draw in by breathing: to inhale the polluted air.

verb (used without object), in·haled, in·hal·ing.

to breathe in, especially the smoke of cigarettes, cigars, etc.: Do you inhale when you smoke?

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of inhale

First recorded in 1715–25; in-² + (ex)hale

OTHER WORDS FROM inhale

un·in·haled, adjective

Words nearby inhale

inhabited, inhabiter, inhalant, inhalation, inhalator, inhale, inhaler, in half, Inhambane, in hand, inharmonic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use inhale in a sentence

N95 masks have already been shown to both protect people wearing them from inhaling coronavirus-bearing droplets, and reduce the risk of them spreading the virus by breathing.
LG unveils a new high-tech ‘smart mask.’ But does it protect against COVID?|dzanemorris|August 28, 2020|Fortune
This would require inhaling hydrogen instead of oxygen, metabolizing it with acetylene instead of glucose, and exhaling methane instead of carbon dioxide.
The 5 best places to explore in the solar system—besides Mars|Neel Patel|August 17, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Some companies are repurposing these drugs, which could be inhaled.
We Don’t Have to Despair - Issue 88: Love & Sex|Robert Bazell|August 12, 2020|Nautilus
Nowadays, inhaling six or seven hot dogs a minute for 10 minutes mostly leads to digestive problems.
When it comes to downing hot dogs, science says there’s a limit|Jonathan Lambert|August 7, 2020|Science News For Students

Gilead announced July 8 that it soon would begin a clinical trial to test an inhaled form of the drug.
Remdesivir is looking even better at fighting COVID-19|Tina Hesman Saey|July 20, 2020|Science News For Students
If you tend to inhale your food without realizing how much you consumed, opt for nibbles like in-shell pistachio nuts.
12 Thanksgiving Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work|DailyBurn|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
TB, for example, is spread when I inhale the exhaled breath of a person with active disease.
The CDC Was Wrong About How to Stop Ebola|Kent Sepkowitz|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The loftiest noses among the winemakers inhale the finest of scents from the tasting glass and proclaim another masterpiece.
Napa’s Earthquake Is Not The Only Thing Shaking The Vineyards|Clive Irving|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They emit an odor that no human being should inhale, and yet you have.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in Iraq|Nathan Bradley Bethea|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So of course, Jimmy Fallon took the opportunity to ruin it by forcing Freeman to inhale helium and pitch up his voice.
Viral Video of the Day: Morgan Freeman Sucks Helium|Alex Chancey|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The helmsman led me to the side of the vessel, and told me to hold my head overboard, and inhale the air.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
I straddled his neck and pushed his head into the milk so that he was forced either to drink it or inhale it.
The Red Cow and Her Friends|Peter McArthur
As soon as conscious breathing was necessary it was my custom deliberately to inhale on one step and exhale on the next.
Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921|Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury
"It's awful the way I inhale," said Slops with a melancholy sigh.
The Varmint|Owen Johnson
He felt his forehead begin to burn, so he arose to approach the window and inhale the fresh night breeze.
The Reign of Greed|Jose Rizal

British Dictionary definitions for inhale

inhale

/ (ɪnˈheɪl) /

verb

to draw (breath) into the lungs; breathe in

Word Origin for inhale

C18: from in- ² + Latin halāre to breathe

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

inhale

Origin of inhale

OTHER WORDS FROM inhale

Words nearby inhale

Words related to inhale

How to use inhale in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inhale

Word Origin for inhale