breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a break in activity for rest or relief

3

: a small vent in an otherwise airtight enclosure

Synonyms

• break
• breath
• interruption
• lull
• pause
• recess

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

Recent Examples on the Web

The Bucks have spent much of this young season navigating absences, with Middleton yet to make his debut and Antetokounmpo taking a breather for this one. —Brian Sampson, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

However prices have since taken a breather, and bitcoin was trading around $98,243.25 early Monday, according to CoinGecko data — up only a fraction of a percent on the day. —Ryan Browne, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2024

Instead of the relentless upward momentum, the market may take a breather, allowing prices to stabilize and the excitement to settle. —Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 18 Nov. 2024

Now’s the time to take a breather and practice a little self-care. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

1

: one that breathes

2

: a pause for rest : break

Medical Definition

breather

noun

breath·​er ˈbrē-t͟hər 

: one that breathes usually in a specified way see mouth breather