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

When extensions are heated during styling, they can also release chemicals into the air that users may inhale.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

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

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

Pilots warn their wranglers to avoid the temptation to inhale the escaping gas, noting that the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” voice isn’t worth the risk of fainting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

I press my face to the fabric and inhale, to see if it still smells like her.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

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