breathe

verb

ˈbrēt͟h How to pronounce breathe (audio)
Definition of breathenext
1
as in to respire
to inhale and exhale air sometimes it gets so hot in here that it's hard to even breathe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to live
to have life as long as I breathe, you will have a place to stay

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of breathe Meanwhile, the new parent, whom the humane society dubbed Mercy, was emaciated, weak and struggling to breathe, with wound abscesses on her swollen face and mouth. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 The baby was born with a heartbeat but was not breathing, the couple told the Atlantic, and did not survive. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 Using the likeness of late actor Toshiro Mifune certainly helps, but there’s a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle facial work in this game that breathes life into Miyamoto Musashi, the titular Onimusha. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 The households of my grandparents seemed to breathe forth a sense of the real cost and worth of things. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for breathe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathe
  1. respire
  2. live
  3. snore
  4. be
Verb
  • When the soil becomes saturated from overwatering, the pores fill with water, limiting oxygen and preventing the roots from respiring.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 12 May 2026
  • And as microbes and other organisms continue to respire, dissolved oxygen levels drop to zero.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of respire
Verb
  • Four families living near Meta’s Newton County data center are suing the tech giant, claiming the massive facility taints their drinking water and disrupts their daily lives.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The modern lamp is a classic for living rooms where overhead lighting is a non-starter.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of live
Verb
  • Among those who did not always share a bed, 86% named snoring as the primary complaint.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The latter, voiced by Martin Scorsese in the film, is largely asleep and snoring in the food truck-like stand, while Grogu uses the Force to whisk orders across the counter.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of snore
Verb
  • As the commission moved toward a vote on the plan, there was a certain resignation among the ballroom skeptics, who knew that they were outnumbered.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • McCoy was skeptical; there wasn’t enough time for the Volunteers to drive four hours from Knoxville to Atlanta.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of be

Phrases Containing breathe

Browse Nearby Words

breathable
breathe
breathed
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Cite this Entry

“Breathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathe. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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