Word
inhale
Phoneticsin·hale, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈheɪɫ/
UK/ɪnhˈeɪl/
Definition
v. to breathe air, smoke, or gas into your lungs. You use this when talking about breathing or sometimes when someone eats food very quickly.
v. to draw air or other substances into the lungs through the respiratory tract. Often used figuratively in informal contexts to describe consuming food with extreme haste.
Examples
“Take a deep breath and inhale slowly.”
“The doctor asked the patient to inhale deeply while she listened to his chest with a stethoscope.”
“Safety protocols require all laboratory staff to wear masks to ensure they do not accidentally inhale toxic fumes during the chemical synthesis process.”
Examples
simple
“Take a deep breath and inhale slowly.”
contextual
“The doctor asked the patient to inhale deeply while she listened to his chest with a stethoscope.”
complex
“Safety protocols require all laboratory staff to wear masks to ensure they do not accidentally inhale toxic fumes during the chemical synthesis process.”
Usage
The verb can be used both transitively and intransitively.
Pitfall
He inhaled to the smoke.
He inhaled the smoke.
When used with an object, inhale is transitive and does not require a preposition like 'to' or 'at'.
Real-World Examples
“Begin by taking a deep breath in through your nose, and then at the top, take a second, shorter inhale of air to fully expand your lungs.” Etymology
From Latin inhalare (“to breathe on (breathe in)”), from in (“in, into, on”) + halare (“to breathe”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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