exhale

verb

ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl 

ek-ˈsāl

exhaled; exhaling

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

Synonyms

• blow (out)
• breathe (out)
• expel
• expire

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

In four days, the coin will land, and half of the country will either exhale with relief or shudder in terror. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay in Florida and Barataria Bay in Louisiana are exhaling microplastic fibers, according to our new research published in the journal PLOS One. —Leslie Hart, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024

Morgan Stanley, $310 per share price target Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas contends that investors worried about Tesla’s growth trajectory can exhale slightly after the third-quarter earnings beat and Musk’s production forecast for 2025. —Brian Evans, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2024

With this technique, people inhale, hold their breath, exhale, and hold breath again for equal intervals, such as three or four seconds, repeating the cycle for several minutes. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

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

Kids Definition

exhale

verb

ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl 

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 

exhaled; exhaling

intransitive verb

: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

: to breathe out