Breathe and breath are two different words with close but different meanings and are not interchangeable. Moreover, they differ both in spelling and pronunciation. Breathe is a verb that means the act of inhaling or exhaling breath, while breath is a noun that refers to the air we breathe.
Do not confuse breathe with breath; the former is a verb and the latter is a noun. Since much of the confusion comes from many idioms in English where breath and breath are used, use a grammar tool to improve writing.
When to Use Breathe
Breathe is a verb that refers to the act of inhaling. More specifically, it is the act of taking air into your lungs and sending it out again, as in “breathe in” or “breathe out.” It is also pronounced and sounds like /breed/, where “the” is pronounced as “duh.”
Examples:
There are many people smoking outside. I find it difficult to breathe.
Whenever I breathe in, there’s a pain in the right side of my chest.
Take a deep breath, then breathe out through your mouth.
Don’t worry so much. Just breathe, okay?
Phrases with Breathe
She’s breathing down my neck.
I can breathe easily now.
Jack lives and breathes tennis.
I breathed a sigh of relief when the project was finished.
Do not breathe a word; she cannot know.
During the pandemic, many people breathed their last.
When to Use Breath
On the other hand, breath is a noun that refers to the air we inhale or exhale. More specifically, it is the air that you send in and out of your lungs when you breathe. Also, it refers to the amount of air you take into your lungs. It is pronounced and sounds like /breth/, where “th” is pronounced as “t.”
Examples:
She has a good breath in the morning.
Eriko could smell the smoke on her breath.
Taking a slow, deep breath will help you sleep faster.
He has a bad breath. He’s a chronic smoker.
Phrases with Breath
Her approach is a breath of fresh air.
We will go to the beach soon, but don’t hold your breath.
Lisa took a deep breath before diving.
After breathing in, let your breath out.
Can you hold your breath underwater?
She ran out of breath after jogging.
She takes my breath away.
Conclusion: Breathe vs. Breath – Which One to Use?
Breathe and breath are two different words that differ in meaning, spelling, and pronunciation. The easiest way to remember the difference is breathe with an “e” is a verb and shows the act of breathing, while breath without “e” is a noun and refers to the air we take inside and outside our lungs.
References:
Merriam Webster Dictionary. (n.d). Breath. In https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breath
Merriam Webster Dictionary. (n.d). Breathe. In https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary. Retrieved February 4, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breathe
Longman Dictionary. (n.d.). Breath. In https://www.ldoceonline.com/ dictionary. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/breath
Longman Dictionary. (n.d.). Breathe. In https://www.ldoceonline.com/ dictionary. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/breathe
