How to Use Breathe and Breath Correctly

First published on October 9, 2023 by Dalia Y.|Last revised on January 15, 2025

Breath is a noun that refers to the actual air taken in and out while we breathe (verb form of the noun breath).

What's the difference between "breath" and "breathe"?

Breath is a noun that refers to the actual air taken in and out, while breathe is a verb that refers to the action of inhaling and exhaling air.

Definition of breath and breathe

The Oxford English Dictionary defines breath as "the air taken into or expelled from the lungs" and breathe as "to take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process."

Breath is a noun referring to the air itself.

Breathe is a verb referring to the action of respiration.

Another way to remember the difference is to recall that breathe is a verb, and so it will have different forms based on tense (e.g., breathe, breathed, breathing). If you can use any of these forms in the sentence, then the word you're looking for is breathe, the verb form.

Sentence examples: breath vs breathe

Breath (noun)

• His breath stinks of garlic.

• It would be nice to get a breath of fresh air.

• I took a minute to catch my breath before speaking.

Breathe (verb)

• He breathed deeply before speaking again.

• Breathe in through your nose.

• I could hear the sound of someone breathing.

Common phrases with "breath" and "breathe"

With bated breath +

Don't wait for something to happen or expect it to happen.

To waste one's breath / a waste of one's breath +

Something is not worth discussing since it won't be taken into consideration or acknowledgement.

Don't hold your breath +

Don't wait around expecting that something will happen.

A breath of fresh air +

Said when something is refreshing or a welcome change from before.

Take someone's breath away +

For someone to be overwhelmed by intense feelings, usually of passion or love.

Breathe new life into something +

To reinvigorate something that's become dull or monotonous.

Breathe a sigh of relief +

To feel or show relief towards or about something.

Eat, breathe and sleep +

To dedicate all of one's time to something.

Breathe easy +

To feel relief, perhaps after something stressful.

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for breath

air exhalation puff respiration wind

Synonyms for breathe

inhale exhale respire pant sigh

Origin of the word breath/breathe

Old English bræð "odor, scent, stink, exhalation, vapor" (the Old English word for "air exhaled from the lungs" was æðm), from Proto-Germanic *bræthaz "smell, exhalation".

Practice: Breath or breathe?

Question 1 of 5

I need to take a deep ______ before I speak.

breathe
breath
breathing

It's hard to ______ at this high altitude.

breathe
breath
breathing

Her ______ smelled like garlic.

breathe
breath
breathing

I can hear you ______ heavily after the run.

breath
breathing
breathe

Please ______ deeply and relax.

breathe
breath
breathing

FAQs

What part of speech is "breath"? +

"Breath" is a noun. It refers to the literal air you inhale and exhale. An example is "He felt a cool breath of air on his face."

What part of speech is "breathe"? +

"Breathe" is a verb. It refers to the essential life-sustaining action of inhaling and expelling oxygen. An example is "After running, she struggled to breathe easily."

How do you know when to use "breathe"? +

Check if you can use other verb forms like "breathed" or "breathing." If so, the word you need is "breathe," the verb form for the action.

Is "take a deep breathe" correct? +

No, "take a deep breathe" is incorrect. "Breathe" is a verb, but the noun "breath" is required here, referring to the air, as in "take a deep breath."

Is "hard to breath" correct? +

No, "It's hard to breath" is incorrect. "Breath" is a noun, but the verb "breathe" is needed for the action of respiration, as in "It's hard to breathe."

Sources

Breath, Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, accessed on October 9, 2023. Breathe, Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, accessed on October 9, 2023. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of breath.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/breath. Accessed 9 October 2023. “Breath.” TheFreeDictionary.com. 2023. Farlex, Inc. 3 Nov. 2023 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/breath “Breathe.” McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. 2002. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 3 Nov. 2023 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/breathe