en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Anticipation awaits: correcting "with baited breath"

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 03/11/2024, 22:50
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

With baited breath or with bated breath. What's correct?

Spelling error

Why do people make this mistake?

This error occurs due to confusion between the word "baited" and the correct word "bated." Since "bated" is archaic and rarely used outside this phrase, people often mistakenly use "baited", which is more familiar.

What is correct?

The correct phrase is "with bated breath." The word "bated" means "reduced, lessened, or held back," reflecting the act of holding one's breath in anticipation.

Examples of correct usage

  • She waited with bated breath for the announcement.
  • The audience sat in silence, with bated breath, as the results were revealed.
  • He listened with bated breath to the outcome of the decision.

Recommended posts in Grammar

The sudden truth about "all the sudden"

The sudden truth about "all the sudden"

People often mishear or conflate "all of a sudden" as ... Learn more →

Why "split in to" doesn’t quite fit the bill

Why "split in to" doesn’t quite fit the bill

People often make this error because "into" is a preposition ... Learn more →

Why "weild" isn't in your dictionary

Why "weild" isn't in your dictionary

The error "weild" occurs because of a common confusion in ... Learn more →

Why "laying low" is a linguistic slip-up

Why "laying low" is a linguistic slip-up

The verbs "lay" and "lie" are often confused because they ... Learn more →