take a breather

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kick back v.
pause v.
recess v.
relax v.

VERB

kick back

Synonyms

STRONGEST

lie down recline sit back take it easy unwind

WEAK

breathe easy calm down catch one's breath chill out collect oneself compose oneself cool off feel at home hang loose loosen up make oneself at home mellow out put one's feet up rest settle back sit around take a break take a load off take ten wind down

VERB

pause

Synonyms

STRONGEST

hesitate interrupt shake waver

STRONG

cease deliberate desist discontinue drop halt reflect rest sideline suspend

WEAK

break it up call time catch one's breath come to standstill hold back put on hold stop briefly take a break take five take ten think twice

Antonyms

STRONG

carry on continue do go keep on restart rise

WEAK

persist

VERB

recess

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adjourn break off break up dissolve terminate

STRONG

drop pigeonhole prorogue rise shake sideline

WEAK

call time drop it prorogate put on hold take a break take five take ten

Antonyms

STRONGEST

begin open start

WEAK

continue

VERB

relax

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calm lie down loosen up recline sit back soften unwind

STRONG

laze repose rest tranquilize unbend unlax

WEAK

breathe easy calm down collect oneself compose oneself cool off ease off feel at home hang loose knock off let oneself go make oneself at home put one's feet up settle back simmer down sit around stop work take a break take it easy take one's time take ten take time out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agitate irritate worry

STRONG

be active energize

WEAK

excite grow increase tense

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.

See Examples For:

take a breather

The Bank of Japan is likely to take a breather this week to assess the effects of its latest move after raising its policy rate to the highest level in three decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

It’s best for everyone, Mace included, that she take a breather to touch grass.

From Slate ● Jun. 13, 2026

Like Vesga, many workers are looking to take a breather from their job or to scale back their high-stress career without quitting altogether.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 4, 2026

After three years of outsize returns—roughly 25% in both 2023 and 2024, and nearly 20% in 2025—the S&P 500 could take a breather.

From Barron's ● Dec. 12, 2025

What does exist is the paragraph break: a visual bookmark that allows the reader to pause, take a breather, assimilate what he has read, and then find his place again on the page.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

take a breather

Example Sentences

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