Breathe vs Breath
Compare it Versus > Grammar > Difference between Breathe and Breath
First published on October 23 2015, updated most recently on 3rd January 2023
Edited by Mary S., secondary school English teacher
Are you one of those who are perpetually confused as to whether they should use ‘breathe’ or ‘breath’ and often come to the wrong decision?
If yes, then you might as well derive solace from the fact that you are not the only one. It is a mistake which is commonly found in written work pertaining to English language.
To be able to use these two words correctly, it is imperative for you to learn how to distinguish between them based on their respective meanings and usage.
Let us look into this more.
Meaning of breathe
‘Breathe’ is a verb, meaning it denotes an action being taken. It refers to inhaling and exhaling of air which is indicative of breathing in and breathing out, an action that is constantly in progress. For example, if you consider the following sentences:
Is it possible to breathe under water?
Can you breathe now?
The first question enquires whether it is possible to inhale or exhale while under the surface of water and since it is representative of an action, it is the verb ‘breathe’ which has been used.
Meaning of breath
‘Breath’ on the other hand is a noun which is used as the object in conjunction with other parts of speech including the verb.
It is indicative of the collective process of inhaling and exhaling of air.
For example, in the sentence:
You took my breath away.
The word ‘breath’ serves as a noun wherein if you ask ‘what was taken away?’ it was someone’s breath that was taken away.
Likewise, another example that demonstrates the correct usage of the word ‘breath’ is:
He took a deep breath and jumped into the pool.
Differences between breath and breathe
In addition to the obvious difference as above, another way of learning to distinguish between ‘breathe’ and ‘breath’ is to find their rhyming words. ‘Breathe’ is a verb and hence will rhyme with other verbs, an example being that of ‘seethe’.
‘Breath’ being a noun will rhyme with other nouns like ‘death’.
While publications are usually very particular about the usage of these two words, it is the online media which uses them interchangeably, thus distorting their meaning. Therefore, anyone desirous of learning to use these two words correctly must refer to renowned publications rather than online content.
Do you have any tips to remember on how to differentiate breath and breathe?
Let us know in the comments section below.
References
- Dictionary.com dictionary, accessed in January 2023, link to Dictionary.com homepage here