verb

breathe

breeth

verb

To draw air into the lungs and expel it.

"Try to breathe slowly and calm yourself down."

"She breathed in the fresh mountain air."

To pause briefly to rest or recover.

"Let the team breathe for a minute before the next drill."

To say something very quietly, almost as a whisper.

"He breathed her name as he drifted off to sleep."

How to Use Breathe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo take air in and out of the lungs — or figuratively, to pause and rest, or to whisper something softly.

Common mistake

Breathe is the verb; breath is the noun. "I need to breath" is a common misspelling — it should be "I need to breathe."

Easily confused with

breath →

Word Forms

breathed past tense, breathe plural, breathed plural, breathes singular, breathe singular, breathed singular, breathest singular, breathedst singular, breatheth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Try to _____ slowly and calm yourself down.

Etymology

From Middle English brethen, derived from breth ("breath").

Synonyms

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live and breathe draw breath inbreathe spire suspire

Antonyms

choke asphyxiate hold one's breath suffocate

Related Words

exhale spire obstruct excel suffocate choke

Rhymes for breathe

lathe bathe loathe sunbathe

See all rhymes for breathe →

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