Breath vs. Breathe
“Breath” is a noun, pronounced /breθ/; “breathe” is a verb, pronounced /briːð/. The final e changes both the grammatical role and the pronunciation, so this pair benefits from a combined morphology, sound, and sentence-role test.
Use “breath” for the noun and “breathe” for the verb. They are also pronounced differently: breath ends with /θ/, while breathe ends with /ð/ and has a longer vowel.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Sentence need | Use | Sound cue |
|---|---|---|
| noun: air/a single inhalation | breath | /breθ/ |
| verb: move air in/out | breathe | /briːð/ |
The part-of-speech test is usually the fastest; pronunciation supplies a second independent cue.
Quick tests
Noun-or-verb test
Can the word be replaced by an action such as “inhale/exhale”?
If yes: Use “breathe.”
If no: If the sentence names the air or a single respiration, use “breath.”
Caveat: Idiomatic expressions such as “out of breath” still use the noun.
Examples
Take a deep breath.
Breath is the noun for air taken into or let out of the lungs.
Breathe slowly through your nose.
Breathe is the verb for moving air into and out of the lungs.
Remember to breath slowly.
Better: Remember to breathe slowly.
After “to,” the sentence needs the verb breathe.
Usage notes
The distinction is based on meaning and/or grammatical role, not merely a house-style preference.
Further guidance
Morphology Cue
The final e is part of the verb spelling; related forms include breathed and breathing.
Noun Verb Boundary
Breath names the air or a single act of breathing; breathe names the action.
Pronunciation Boundary
Cambridge gives breath /breθ/ and breathe /briːð/, so both vowel length and final consonant voicing differ.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- BREATH definition (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Noun meaning and pronunciation of breath
- BREATHE definition (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Verb meaning and pronunciation of breathe