breathing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of breathingnext
as in alive
having or showing life realized that he didn't need a comic-book superhero, since he had a real, breathing hero in his father

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

breathing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of breathe
1
as in snoring
to inhale and exhale air sometimes it gets so hot in here that it's hard to even breathe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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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 breathing
Verb
At one point, he was charged in the death of a woman who stopped breathing during one of his ceremonies. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 2 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 Some of my favorites are coming back too, like El Pulpo Magnifico, Duane Flatmo's fire-breathing octopus, and the Monaco, a 40-foot ship with three masts that sails across dust instead of water. — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 After leaving the cell, officers returned a short time later to find Hoyos-Munoz unconscious and not breathing, the spokesman said. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 Officers found the 42-year-old man unconscious and not breathing, with trauma to his head. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Officers arrived and found a 42-year-old man who was unconscious and not breathing. — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 Straight from Sean Payton and every other living, breathing human being who’s attended Broncos training camp, Bryant has been THE star. — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Surrounded by the destruction, the baby squirrel still kept breathing. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathing
  1. alive
  2. snoring
  3. living
  4. live
  5. respiring
Adjective
  • One of the more remarkable streaks in the history of this nearly century-old racetrack is still alive.
    — Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Your life, your time, your moment is among the best to be alive in human history.
    — Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of alive
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 snoring
Verb
  • There’s a world of difference between a living brain and a dish of cells, and PTBP1 does more than just prevent astrocytes from doing a nerve cell’s job.
    — Mike McRae August 30, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Water safety should not be ignored by those seeking cool respite from hot weather or city living.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of living
Adjective
  • Turkey’s defense industry has demonstrated another step forward in precision air-to-ground warfare with the successful live-fire testing of ASELSAN’s TOLUN deep-strike munition family from a Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In 2016, Moncler Grenoble’s fall New York Fashion Week presentation at Lincoln Center was staged in polar-vortex conditions, transforming the frozen plaza into a live performance stage with 80 performers marching in step.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of live
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
Definition of respiring

Browse Nearby Words

breathes (out)
breathing
breathing (out)
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on breathing

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about breathing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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