‘Breath’ and ‘Breathe’ are two words that are often confused and used interchangeably by both native and non-native english speakers. The main reason for that is these words have the same meaning and are also pronounced the same way. However, the words have different meanings and functions in a sentence.
If you want to understand the meaning and difference between the two words, you are in the right place. In this article, we will not only explain the difference but also tell you the proper usage with the help of examples. So let’s dive in.
Breathe vs Breath: What Is The Difference
Both breathe and breath are correct spellings, but they have different meanings and uses. Breathe is a verb that means “to draw air into your lungs and expel it again.” Breath is a noun that refers to “the air brought in and exhaled when breathing.” For example:
- He could barely breathe after running so fast.
- She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
To remember the difference, you can note that ‘breathe’ has an e at the end, just like the word verb. Breath has no e at the end, just like the word noun. You can also pronounce them differently: breathe rhymes with seethe, while breath rhymes with death.
Breathe vs Breath: meaning and proper usage
‘Breathe’ and ‘breath’ are related words, but they have different meanings and functions. In this section, we have explained the proper usage of the two words along with examples.
Breath (Noun)
“Breath” is a noun that refers to the air that is inhaled and exhaled during the act of breathing. It represents a single inhalation or exhalation.
Examples
- She could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
- His breath smelled of minty toothpaste.
- She held her breath in anticipation.
- She took a deep breath before stepping onto the stage to deliver her speech.
- The hiker paused to catch her breath after climbing up the steep hill.
- He held his breath in anticipation as the final moments of the game unfolded.
- The doctor listened to his patient’s breath with a stethoscope.
- The fresh mountain air filled her lungs with each breath she took.
- He blew out a breath of frustration after encountering a difficult problem.
- The yoga instructor emphasized the importance of mindful breathing throughout the class.
- The scuba diver’s air tank provided a steady supply of breath underwater.
- The baby’s soft breaths could be heard as she peacefully slept.
- She let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension leave her body with each breath.
- She took a deep breath and then breathed out slowly.
- The doctor instructed the patient to breathe deeply during the yoga session.
- After the intense workout, he sat down to catch his breath and breathe.
Breathe (Verb)
“Breathe” is a verb that refers to the action of inhaling and exhaling air. It is the act of taking air into the lungs and then expelling it. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a sense of relief or relaxation.
Examples:
- “He wants to atone for forcing people to breathe his cigarette smoke”.
- “Our poor breathe air far more polluted than the air breathed by the rich”.
- “They breathe in the winter and breathe out the summer”.
- “He wants to live where he can breathe clean/fresh air”.
- “Breathe out through your nose”.
- “Breathe deeply and then exhale”.
- “I need some room to breathe”.
- “We all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard that they were safe”.
- “His parents are always breathing down his neck”.
- “The deal aims to breathe life into the stationer’s e-business efforts”.
- “Now they each had a picture which they examined and re-examined, trying to breathe life into the two-dimensional image”.
- “After the marriage, though, she wants to breathe life into their dry, platonic relationship.”
- “This was an exciting development that breathed new life into the field”.
- “Her eyes fluttered open for a moment and then she breathed her last”.
Synonyms And Similar Words
Here are a few synonyms for the word ‘Breathe’
- Exhale/Inhale
- Respire
- Sniff
- Gasp
- Gulp
Here are a few example sentences:
- “My lungs respired with greater difficulty, and my knees knocked and jostled as though faint from weakness.”
- “These worms live in deep burrow systems and require water in their environment to respire.”
- “A nurse might worry about the rate at which a patient respires, and a biologist might discuss the way a plant respires at night, when light doesn’t reach its leaves.”
- “He gasped as he stepped into the icy water.”
- “She was gasping for air”.
- “He gasped for air, and blood sprayed from his mouth.”
- “With a suffocating gasp, she fell back into the chair on which she sat and covered her face with her hands.”
- “She took a gasp of breath and glanced aside.”
- “He gulped air into her lungs.”
- “He slumped back, gulping for air.”
- “She took several gulps of air.”
- The parents exhaled in relief, but then there came another text”.
- “She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to relax.”
On the other hand, the synonyms for the noun ‘Breath’ are ‘Respiration’ and ‘exhalation.’ Here are a few examples
- Respiration is the process of taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
- Plants use respiration to convert the energy stored in glucose into a form that they can use.
- The doctor measured his respiration rate by counting how many times he breathed in a minute.
- She practiced yoga to improve her respiration and relaxation.
- Fish have gills that allow them to perform respiration in water.
In conclusion, the word “Breathe” is used as a verb when referring to the action of inhaling and exhaling air, while “breath” is used as a noun to refer to the air itself.
So write “breathe” when describing the act of inhaling and exhaling: “Remember to breathe deeply during meditation.” On the other hand, use “breath” when referring to the actual air: “His breath smelled like fresh coffee.”
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