Synonyms

inhale

American

[in-heyl] / ɪnˈheɪl /

verb (used with object)

inhaled, inhaling

to breathe in; draw in by breathing.

to inhale the polluted air.

verb (used without object)

inhaled, inhaling

to breathe in, especially the smoke of cigarettes, cigars, etc..

Do you inhale when you smoke?

inhale British

/ ɪnˈheɪl /

verb

to draw (breath) into the lungs; breathe in

"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

Other Word Forms

uninhaled adjective

Etymology

Origin of inhale

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

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.

I would close my eyes and inhale deeply, bracing myself for what was coming: a strange cocktail of sadness, panic, and the most bone-deep exhaustion I’ve ever experienced.

From Slate • Mar. 15, 2026

“I nail my mouth to the evil taste of lipstick, inhale the scent of someone else’s lipstick…”

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Each day, people inhale millions of microscopic particles, including soot, dust, pollen, microplastics, viruses, and engineered nanoparticles.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2026

Rub the leaf and inhale the fragrance, Michaelus Tracey is saying.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

He coughed and held his arm up to his face, trying not to inhale the smoke.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023