exhale

verb

ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl How to pronounce exhale (audio)
ek-ˈsāl
exhaled; exhaling

intransitive verb

1
: to rise or be given off as vapor
2
: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

1
a
: to breathe out
she exhaled a sigh
b
: to give forth (gaseous matter) : emit
2
archaic : to cause to be emitted in vapor

Examples of exhale in a Sentence

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to relax. before answering, the suspect exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In four days, the coin will land, and half of the country will either exhale with relief or shudder in terror. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay in Florida and Barataria Bay in Louisiana are exhaling microplastic fibers, according to our new research published in the journal PLOS One. Leslie Hart, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 Morgan Stanley, $310 per share price target Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas contends that investors worried about Tesla’s growth trajectory can exhale slightly after the third-quarter earnings beat and Musk’s production forecast for 2025. Brian Evans, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2024 With this technique, people inhale, hold their breath, exhale, and hold breath again for equal intervals, such as three or four seconds, repeating the cycle for several minutes. Matt Fuchs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exhale 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English exalen, from Latin exhalare, from ex- + halare to breathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhale was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near exhale

Cite this Entry

“Exhale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhale. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

exhale

verb
ex·​hale eks-ˈhāl How to pronounce exhale (audio)
exhaled; exhaling
1
: to breathe out
2
: to send forth (as gas or odor)

Medical Definition

exhale

verb
ex·​hale eks-ˈ(h)ā(ə)l How to pronounce exhale (audio)
exhaled; exhaling

intransitive verb

: to emit breath or vapor

transitive verb

: to breathe out

More from Merriam-Webster on exhale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!