English Reference

Word

inhaling

Phoneticsin·hal·ing

US/ˌɪnˈheɪɫɪŋ/

UK/ɪnhˈeɪlɪŋ/

Definition

v. to breathe in air, smoke, or gas into your lungs. You can also use it to describe eating something very quickly.

v. the present participle of 'inhale'; refers to the act of drawing air or other substances into the lungs through the respiratory tract. Often used figuratively to describe the rapid consumption of food.

Examples

“He is inhaling the fresh mountain air.”

“The doctor advised the patient to avoid inhaling toxic fumes while working in the garage.”

“The athlete stood at the starting line, slowly inhaling the crisp morning air to calm his nerves before the final sprint of the championship.”

Examples

simple

“He is inhaling the fresh mountain air.”

contextual

“The doctor advised the patient to avoid inhaling toxic fumes while working in the garage.”

complex

“The athlete stood at the starting line, slowly inhaling the crisp morning air to calm his nerves before the final sprint of the championship.”

Usage

The verb is transitive when referring to specific substances and intransitive when referring to the general act of breathing.

Pitfall

He was inhaling of the smoke

He was inhaling the smoke

Inhale is a transitive verb and does not require the preposition 'of' before the object.

Real-World Examples

“On better days, she strolled up to it, even hugging its jagged trunk and inhaling the earthy scent to lift her spirits.”
BBC News · 18 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference