exhale

verb

ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl How to pronounce exhale (audio)
ek-ˈsāl
exhaled; exhaling
Synonyms of exhalenext

intransitive verb

1
: to rise or be given off as vapor
2
: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

1
a
: to breathe out
She exhaled a sigh.
b
: to give forth (gaseous matter) : emit
2
archaic : to cause to be emitted in vapor

Examples of exhale in a Sentence

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to relax. before answering, the suspect exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Curry, wearing a bulky wrap around his knee, leaned back and took a long, deep breath before exhaling as the game tipped off. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026 Much of Electrical Field of Love has a loose, improvisatory feel, with Gibbs and Lewis laying down thick, burrowing grooves, Ross adding textured flair, and Muldrow exhaling drawn-out, chantlike phrases or compact, laser-like screams on top of it all. Reed Jackson, SPIN, 30 Mar. 2026 After knocking in his final putt at hole 18, Woodland stretched out his arms, looked up to the sky and exhaled with tears in his eyes. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026 After knocking in his final putt at the 18th hole, Woodland stretched out his arms, looked up to the sky and exhaled with tears in his eyes. Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exhale

Word History

Etymology

Middle English exalen, from Latin exhalare, from ex- + halare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhale was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exhale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhale. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

exhale

verb
ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl How to pronounce exhale (audio)
exhaled; exhaling
1
: to breathe out
2
: to send forth (as gas or odor)

Medical Definition

exhale

verb
ex·​hale eks-ˈ(h)ā(ə)l How to pronounce exhale (audio)
exhaled; exhaling

intransitive verb

: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

: to breathe out

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