as in pause
a momentary halt in an activity
took a breather from the seemingly endless task of sorting through years of stuff stored in the attic
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Recent Examples of breather
For both air breathers and water breathers, many chemicals in crude oil target the heart and respiratory function, the immune system, the sensory system and the central nervous system.
—
Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
When Jokic’s next turn for a breather arrived at the start of the fourth quarter, Denver went small.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Are the Lomans meant to be Irish immigrants or is that a Boston dialect that is being affected when the cartoonish New Yorkese takes a breather?
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Preseason games are dress rehearsals for most teams anyway, and a second bye week would help players get healthier and get a breather in the midst of the battle.
—Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breather
Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
When Jokic’s next turn for a breather arrived at the start of the fourth quarter, Denver went small.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Are the Lomans meant to be Irish immigrants or is that a Boston dialect that is being affected when the cartoonish New Yorkese takes a breather?
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Preseason games are dress rehearsals for most teams anyway, and a second bye week would help players get healthier and get a breather in the midst of the battle.
—Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breather
Noun
-
Scott will be 25 years old as a rookie, which gives the pairing some pause, but the Bills are currently without a backup nickel at this point.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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And while the country experiences spectacular sunsets thanks to its varied landscapes, west-facing coast, and wide ocean views, few spots are as perfect for a momentary pause to watch the sun go down as in Lisbon.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But this lull in anti-vaccine rhetoric and action should not be mistaken for a durable pivot in federal vaccine policy.—
Will Walters,
STAT,
23 Apr. 2026
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Yet, instead of taking advantage of this lull to prepare for the future by upgrading transmission lines and incorporating smart grid technologies en masse, policymakers procrastinated.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Take a deep breath and appreciate this season of slow.—
Ayrika L Whitney,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Recorded on five reel-to-reel decks, the composer’s 1975 piece blends everyday and exotic sounds—human breath, cheeping frogs, bubbling geysers—into a passionate defense of the raptures of listening.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Steele is now unlikely to rejoin the Cubs’ rotation until after the July All-Star break, Counsell estimated.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Wagner led the team at the halfway mark with 17 points, scoring 10 points in the paint before the break.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breather. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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