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.

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

"We wanted to develop an innovative system that prevents occupants from inhaling contaminated air while allowing them to use a personalized ventilation system comfortably for extended periods," he says.

From Science Daily

He was reported to have been in a coma since inhaling tear gas fired by the IDF as villagers were picking their olives last month, near the settler outpost of Evyatar.

From BBC

However, if these radioactive particles are inhaled, they can damage the lungs and increase the long-term risk of developing certain cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

From Los Angeles Times

I would have inhaled whatever you put in front of me as long as it didn’t have mayonnaise in it.

From Salon

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