Breathe vs Breath

Breath is a noun that means the air we inhale and exhale, whereas breathe is a verb that means the action of inhaling and exhaling or respiring through exhaling and exhaling. 

Breathe vs Breath

Breathe	vs	Breath
The process of breathing means exhaling and inhaling air	Definition	Breath is the air we take during respiration
Old English	Origin of the Word	Old English
Verb	Parts of Speech	Noun

Meaning of Breathe

Breathe is a verb, and it refers to the process of inhaling and exhaling. It also means to respire. This intransitive verb implies blowing softly, drawing air from the lungs, and being free from any restraints.

Using Breathe in a Sentence

• You must breathe in a controlled way while exercising.
• Getting athletic clothes that breathe better is comfortable.
• Don’t panic; just breathe and have faith; everything will be alright.
• He finds it difficult to breathe when he is anxious.
• People with anxiety are often asked to breathe slowly.

Idiomatic Uses of Breathe

• Don’t breathe a single word: It means don’t tell anyone.
• To breathe freely: The sentence means to be relaxed.
• To breathe a sigh of relief: Means feeling relieved or relaxed.
• To breathe fire: This implies being extremely angry
• To be able to breathe again: The idiom means to feel relieved after a stressful situation.

Meaning of Breath

Breath is the noun that signifies the air inhaled and exhaled in respiration. It’s the ability to take air normally.

Using Breath in a Sentence

• The pregnancy makes her short of breath from time to time.
• Your breath smells of garlic.
• He ran so quickly that he was out of breath.
• Take deep breaths if you’re feeling nervous.
• Hold your breath before diving into the pool.

Idiomatic Uses of Breath

• A breath of fresh air: Means bringing in positive vibes or new energies.
• A waste of breath: Implies a piece of advice that will be ignored.
• To draw one’s last breath: The meaning of this idiom is to take the last breath before one dies.
• Under one’s breath: The phrase means speaking quietly without anyone knowing.
• To catch one’s breath: This means trying to catch enough oxygen after a vigorous run or exercise.

Breathe vs Breath: Key Differences

Parts of Speech

Both breathe and breath are different parts of speech. The word breath is a noun, whereas the word breathe is a verb. We cannot use the words in place of one another. The two denote very different meanings.

Meaning

Breathing means respiration or the process of taking oxygen.

Breath is the air we breathe into our lungs.

More Examples of Breathe

• Let’s take a pause to breathe for a moment. 
• The cold makes breathing through the nose difficult. 
• He was breathing so close it made me uncomfortable. 
• He was such a big fan that he breathed cricket every day in his life. 
• Thank god exams are over, and now I can breathe carefreely. 
• His chest feels too tight to breathe heavily. 
• I don’t even have time to breathe. 
• I can’t breathe in this house. 

More Examples of Breath

• I took deep breaths to calm myself down before my performance. 
• He was gasping for breath after the marathon got over. 
• Wait, let me catch my breath!
• Always brushing your teeth prevents bad breath. 
• It was so cold that I could see my breath. 
• Because of the rumor, the breath of scan followed him everywhere.
• He is so disrespectful; I don’t want to waste my breath on him. 

Breathe vs Breath: Avoid These Common Mistakes

Here are some examples of wrong and correct sentences that will help you prevent further mistakes in using the words.

Correct	Incorrect
He took deep breaths to calm himself down.	He took deep breathes to calm himself down.
The trouble is over; now they can breathe happily.	The trouble is over; now they can breath happily.
Your breath smells of garlic.	Your breathe smells of garlic.
Let me catch my breath.	Let me catch my breathe.
Don’t skip brushing; it prevents bad breath.	Don’t skip brushing; it prevents bad breathe.
Fish can breathe underwater because of their gills.	Fish can breath underwater because of their gills.
Don’t breath a word to anyone.  Don’t breathe a word to anyone.	Don’t breath a word to anyone.
The patient now breathes normally.	The patient now breaths normally.
It is difficult to breathe at a high altitude.	It is difficult to breath at a high altitude.
The market was so crowded that we could hardly breathe.	The market was so crowded that we could hardly breath.

If you found this article helpful, check out our post on love versus in love.