# inhale

/ˌɪnˈheɪɫ/ (US) · /ɪnhˈeɪl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inhale
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

to breathe air, smoke, or gas into your lungs. You use this when talking about breathing or sometimes when someone eats food very quickly.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He inhaled to the smoke." but "He inhaled the smoke." — When used with an object, inhale is transitive and does not require a preposition like 'to' or 'at'.

## Usage notes

- The verb can be used both transitively and intransitively.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.