take a breather

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.

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

“There are certainly pockets of the AI space where valuations needed to take a breather, but Nvidia is not in that camp,” Matt Britzman of Hargreaves Lansdown wrote after the report Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

It’s also natural for stocks to take a breather “in a rally that’s been so extended,” Gordon said.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 4, 2025

“We needed to take a breather, take a step back, and focus on how to run and operate these clinics,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

“We must take a breather, Dustfinger,” Meggie heard Mo saying.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

take a breather

Example Sentences

Related Words