Phrase guide

don't hold your breath

phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

phrase

Meaning 1

Don't wait. Said cynically to suggest that what has just been mentioned is unlikely to happen soon or at all.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, imperative

Examples

  • - The government says it's going to introduce free meals for all schoolchildren. - Huh, don't hold your breath.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Suggesting that if one were to hold one's breath while waiting for the expected event, one would die before it happened

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 別指望了 /别指望了 (bié zhǐwàng le) — don't wait
  • Finnish: älä odota liikoja — don't wait
  • German: da kannst du lange drauf warten — don't wait
  • German: darauf kannst du lange warten — don't wait
  • German: darauf können Sie lange warten — don't wait
  • Italian: ce n'è da aspettare — don't wait
  • Portuguese: espera sentado — don't wait
  • Portuguese: podes esperar sentado — don't wait
  • Portuguese: podes tirar o cavalinho da chuva — don't wait
  • Russian: держи́ карма́н ши́ре /lit: hold your pocket wider/ (derží karmán šíre) — don't wait
  • Russian: раскати́л губу́ /lit: you've unrolled your lip/ (raskatíl gubú) — don't wait
  • Spanish: espera sentado — don't wait