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Showing results for breath of fresh air. Search instead for breath+of+fresh+air.
Synonyms

breath of fresh air

Idioms  

  1. New and refreshing, as in His arrival was like a breath of fresh air. This term transfers the idea of fresh air to a new approach or welcome arrival, and has largely replaced both the earlier breath of heaven and breath of spring, although the latter is still heard occasionally. [Mid-1800s]

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.

In spite of its eye-tickling pollution, the Indian capital must have felt like a breath of fresh air for von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa, who co-led the EU delegation.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

When Stokes and McCullum took over, their attitude was a breath of fresh air.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

Austin Reaves is the Lakers’ breath of fresh air, a sharpshooting respite from all the drama and dirge, a stirring journey from undrafted to indefatigable.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025

The lady from "Suits," a Californian woman of color, seemed exactly the breath of fresh air the British monarchy could do with at the time.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2025

A breath of fresh air with some other interesting smells wafted in past them.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.