Definitions

breathy

[breth-ee] / ˈbrɛθ i /

ADJECTIVE

hoarse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

discordant gravelly gruff harsh raucous throaty

WEAK

blatant cracked croaking croaky croupy dry grating growling guttural husky indistinct jarring piercing ragged rough scratching squawking stertorous strident stridulous thick uneven whispering

Antonyms

STRONGEST

nice polite soft

WEAK

smooth soothing

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.

But the first time I transcribed an interview I’d conducted with my breathy, inconsistent voice, I felt like one giant cringe.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Her voice is low and breathy and her diction is flat, and her vocals sit a hair lower in the mix than one might expect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

PinkPantheress broke out in 2021 with a series of charming and inventive singles that placed her high, breathy vocals over skittering beats built around easily recognizable samples.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

“You’re a rock star,” Harvey shoots back in a breathy whisper, sprouting a wide grin.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

There was a quick breathy sound, as half of those gathered inhaled sharply.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

breathy

Example Sentences

Related Words