breathing space

[ bree-thing speys ]

noun

1. Also called breathing spell. an opportunity to rest or think.
2. sufficient space in which to move, work, etc.:

   The train was so crowded that there was hardly breathing space.

breathing space

noun

1. enough area to permit freedom of movement

   the country gives us some breathing space

2. a pause for rest, etc

   a coffee break was their only breathing space

Word History and Origins

Origin of breathing space¹

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

The delayed demise of third-party cookies has given marketers some breathing space, but that’s all — with 2022 on the horizon, publishers are still gazing into a future without clear answers to the big questions about identity solutions.

From Digiday

Limiting the commute has provided breathing space to better balance work and parenting.

From Washington Post

Even this apparent digression with its minorly clever point — that writing is a kind of con game — serves as a breathing space, a slight pause before the rush of my final two paragraphs.

From Washington Post

The big picture is if you know the numbers are going down, and feel they are going to stay down due to seasonality, then you have some breathing space.

From MIT Technology Review

Related Words

• breather
• breathing room