Breath or Breathe?

What Is the Difference between "Breath" and "Breathe"?

"Breath" and "breathe" are easy to confuse because their spellings are so similar.

• Breath. "Breath" (which rhymes with "death") is the air inhaled or exhaled during breathing. For example:
• He took his last breath.
• Breathe. "Breathe" (which rhymes with "seethe") means to inhale and expel air from the lungs. For example:
• I can't breathe.

"Breath" is a noun. "Breathe" is a verb. (This is why the infographic says "to breathe.")

How to Pronounce "Breath" and "Breathe"

Listen to how "breath" and "breathe" are pronounced:

More about "Breath"

The word "breath" is a noun that means the air either inhaled or exhaled during breathing. Colloquially, it can also mean a short pause (e.g., Take a breath and try again.)

If you remember that "breath" rhymes with "death," you will not confuse it with "breathe."

Example sentences with "breath":

• Paul pinched his nose, took a breath and jumped off the boat.
• He would fight until his last breath.

More about "Breathe"

The word "breathe" (which rhymes with "seethe") is a verb with the following three closely related meanings:

(1) To inhale and expel air from the lungs

• I can't breathe.
• Is she breathing?
(Note that "breathe" drops the "e" when "ing" is added.)

(2) To allow gas or moisture to pass through

• The new synthetic material can breathe to prevent moisture building up against the skin.

(3) To impart (often used figuratively)

• He breathed new life into the project.
  
• He breathed a sigh of relief.

A Trick to Spot "Breathe"

The confusion between "breath" and "breathe" occurs only in writing. Therefore, if you use the "e" on the end of "breathe" to remind you that the syllable "ea" is pronounced EE (i.e., "breathe" rhymes with "seethe"), then you will eliminate this error.

Common Terms with "Breath" and "Breathe"

Here are some common terms with the word "breath":

• bad breath
• breath control
• breath droplets
• breath freshener
• breath of the Wild (console game)
• breaths per minute
• hold your breath
• a deep breath
• take my breath away

Here are some common terms with the word "breathe":

• breathe deeply
• breathe underwater
• breathing control
(Remember that "breathe" drops the "e" when "ing" is added.)
• breathing difficulty
• I can't breathe

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