INHALE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does inhale mean? 

• INHALE (verb)
  The verb INHALE has 2 senses:

1. draw deep into the lungs in by breathing

2. draw in (air)

  Familiarity information: INHALE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INHALE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they inhale    ... he / she / it inhales   
Past simple: inhaled   
Past participle: inhaled   
-ing form: inhaling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Draw deep into the lungs in by breathing

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

Clinton smoked marijuana but never inhaled

Hypernyms (to "inhale" is one way to...):

smoke (inhale and exhale smoke from cigarettes, cigars, pipes)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

inhalant (something that is inhaled)

inhalant (inhaling or serving for inhalation)

inhalation (the act of inhaling; the drawing in of air (or other gases) as in breathing)

inhalation (a medication to be taken by inhaling it)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw in (air)

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

breathe in; inhale; inspire

Context example:

The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well

Hypernyms (to "inhale" is one way to...):

breathe; respire; suspire; take a breath (draw air into, and expel out of, the lungs)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "inhale"):

aspirate (inhale (air, water, etc.))

sniff; sniffle (inhale audibly through the nose)

snivel; snuffle (snuff up mucus through the nose)

snuff (inhale (something) through the nose)

drag; draw; puff (suck in or take (air))

huff; snort (inhale recreational drugs)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

exhale (expel air)

Derivation:

inhalant (something that is inhaled)

inhalant (inhaling or serving for inhalation)

inhalation (the act of inhaling; the drawing in of air (or other gases) as in breathing)

inhalator (a breathing device for administering long-term artificial respiration)

 Context examples 

It contains a higher percentage of carbon dioxide and a lower percentage of oxygen compared to the inhaled air.

(Expired Air, NCI Thesaurus)

Inhaling ETS is called involuntary or passive smoking.

(ETS, NCI Dictionary)

Inhaling environmental tobacco smoke is called involuntary or passive smoking.

(Environmental tobacco smoke, NCI Dictionary)

The air that is inhaled and exhaled during respiration.

(Breath, NCI Thesaurus)

You may inhale or swallow a foreign body, or you may get one from an injury to almost any part of your body.

(Foreign Bodies, NIH)

Inhaled oxygen scented by aromatherapy infusion is being studied as a complementary therapy (used in addition to standard treatments) to relieve pain and shorten recovery time in patients undergoing colonoscopy.

(Aromatherapy infusion, NCI Dictionary)

This makes them easy to inhale, and some may become lodged in the lungs.

(Asbestos, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)

Sometimes you swallow it or inhale it.

(Nuclear Scans, NIH)

When electronic cigarettes are used, the nicotine solution turns into a mist that can be inhaled into the lungs.

(Electronic cigarette, NCI Dictionary)

The ingredient is released in a smoke form, which is inhaled.

(Cigarette Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)