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Synonyms

breathy

American  
[breth-ee] / ˈbrɛθ i /

adjective

breathier, breathiest

  1. (of the voice) characterized by audible or excessive emission of breath.

breathy British  
/ ˈbrɛθɪ /

adjective

  1. (of the speaking voice) accompanied by an audible emission of breath

  2. (of the singing voice) lacking resonance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • breathily adverb
  • breathiness noun

Etymology

Origin of breathy

First recorded in 1520–30; breath + -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Her voice is breathy and strained.

From Literature

A sighing, whistling, breathy sound.

From Literature

And from both came the sighing, breathy sound.

From Literature

As the light started to fade and a breeze furrowed the surface of the lake, I saw a sudden movement in the water and heard a breathy sound.

From Literature

Breathy, anxious voices and confident voices, booming in my ears.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.