exhaled; exhaling
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
This wasn’t a group exhaling to let go of old pain.
—
Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Inhale for four seconds, exhale for six, repeat.
—Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 4 Feb. 2026
How the room softens, how people exhale, how laughter drifts back in and the air feels lighter.
—Adrianne Wright, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2026
Using a 5-7-3 breathing pattern, inhale through your nose for a count of five, exhale slowly for a count of seven, then pause for a count of three before your next breath.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exhale
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Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Inhale for four seconds, exhale for six, repeat.
—Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 4 Feb. 2026
How the room softens, how people exhale, how laughter drifts back in and the air feels lighter.
—Adrianne Wright, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2026
Using a 5-7-3 breathing pattern, inhale through your nose for a count of five, exhale slowly for a count of seven, then pause for a count of three before your next breath.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exhale
Cite this Entry
“Exhale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhale. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exhale
verb
ex·hale
eks-ˈhāl 
exhaled; exhaling
1
: to breathe out
2
: to send forth (as gas or odor)
Medical Definition
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