1
as in pause
a momentary halt in an activity
let's all take a breath before continuing this discussion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breeze
a slight or gentle movement of air
a sweet breath caressed her cheek as she sat in the garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hint
an almost imperceptible sign of something
the mornings are already getting warmer, and there is a breath of spring in the air
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 breath
Who knows if, in this upside-down world that currently weighs on her, the june bug can see the nearby corpse of another beetle, accidentally disemboweled by the home’s owner hours before, the white fat peeking out from her rear end like the materialization of her dying breath.
—
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Puppeteering at that level involved not only physical choreography but precise breath calibration — Katharine Hepburn was an inspiration — to bring audio and visual personality to a complex set of steel rods, a fiberglass shell, and animatronic fingers.
—Emma Forgione, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
As with so many cinematic adaptations of video games, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn’t leave you time to catch your breath.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Under a change to Florida law that took effect last year, refusing a lawful request to submit to a breath, blood or urine test is considered a misdemeanor, even for a first offense.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breath
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Puppeteering at that level involved not only physical choreography but precise breath calibration — Katharine Hepburn was an inspiration — to bring audio and visual personality to a complex set of steel rods, a fiberglass shell, and animatronic fingers.
—Emma Forgione, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
As with so many cinematic adaptations of video games, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie doesn’t leave you time to catch your breath.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Under a change to Florida law that took effect last year, refusing a lawful request to submit to a breath, blood or urine test is considered a misdemeanor, even for a first offense.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breath
Noun
-
After a pause earlier this month to make way for the WGA talks, negotiation are set to pick up with the Sean Astin-run SAG-AFTRA in June, if not sooner.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of plowing ahead with the current design, perhaps a pause is warranted.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Set the scene Soaring at 1,000 feet above sea level on the St James hills, just a 10-minute drive from the heat and bustle of the west coast’s towns and beaches, Apes Hill offers a refreshing breeze and views of both the Caribbean and Atlantic.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The strong, onshore breeze is keeping the risk of dangerous rip currents high along the Atlantic beaches.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers are now exploring Greenland shark genetics for clues about aging, finding hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even with the recent lull in ticket sales from Chinese releases, studios aren’t deterred from launching titles in the region.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
-
After staring down 30, experiencing a career lull, and contemplating quitting music altogether, the singer staked her future in the industry on the fate of her fourth record.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Abe Lemons won an NIT and always filled reporters’ notebooks with colorful and outlandish quotes in between puffs on his ever-present cigar.—
Kirk Bohls,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The seventy-year-old filmmaker took a puff of his cigar and smiled.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While the storm is looming, there are new glimmers of possibility—friends can become lovers, strangers can become friends on the subway, the supermarket aisles are charged with meaning.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But there are glimmers of hope beyond the carnage, too.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her youngest son Oliver, now 2, was born with a hole in his heart and needed surgery, sending her on a six-month social media break.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That, more than anything else, is the lesson of this international break.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the future, Doral Hydrogen is also looking to replicate this off-grid model across its 1 GW global portfolio by proving that H2Pro’s hardware can handle the flicker of solar power without breaking.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The show struggles to illuminate the relationships between the characters or anything at all about Benton, from what his job actually is to even a flicker of a personality.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breath. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
