breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
Synonyms of breathernext
1
: one that breathes
2
: a break in activity for rest or relief
3
: a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

Synonyms of breather

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Examples of breather in a Sentence

He decided to give them a breather. took a breather from the seemingly endless task of sorting through years of stuff stored in the attic
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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.
The market ripped higher last Thursday, with semiconductor stocks and data center suppliers soaring, while the rebounding software group took a breather. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 With only two teams involved at the same time, the other were afforded a brief breather. — James Pearce, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 The Cockroach movement – named in the wake of a disparaging comment India’s chief justice made about unemployed youth – is now taking a breather, preparing, its leaders say, to throw its weight behind other issues affecting young Indians. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026 After what Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self believes was a highly successful two-month summer set of workouts, the 14 Jayhawk players on the 2026-27 roster have headed to their hometowns for a month-long breather. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for breather

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breather was in 1609

Phrases Containing breather

Rhymes for breather

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Browse Nearby Words

breathe one's last
breather
breathe to
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Cite this Entry

“Breather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breather. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

breather

noun
breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
1
: one that breathes
2
: a pause for rest : break

Medical Definition

breather

noun
breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər How to pronounce breather (audio)
: one that breathes usually in a specified way see mouth breather

More from Merriam-Webster on breather

Nglish: Translation of breather for Spanish Speakers

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