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Breath or Breathe?
Breath or Breathe?
What is the difference between breath and breathe?- Breath. A "breath" (which rhymes with "death") is the air inhaled or exhaled during breathing. "Breath" is a noun.
- Breathe. "Breathe" (rhymes with "seethe") means to inhale and expel air from the lungs. "Breathe" is a verb. (This is why the infographic below says "to breathe.")


More about "Breath"
The word "breath" is a noun that denotes 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."
Examples:
- 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 closely related meanings:To inhale and expel air from the lungs.
- I can't breathe.
- Is she breathing?
- The new synthetic material can breathe to prevent moisture building up against the skin.
- He breathed new life into the project.
- He breathed a sigh of relief.
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
- breathe deeply
- breathe underwater
- breathing control (Remember that "breathe" drops the "e" when "ing" is added.)
- breathing difficulty
- I can't breathe
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?