Breathe by Taylor Swift features emotional lyrics that delve into the sorrow and heartache of ending a significant relationship. The song describes the difficulty of moving on from someone who was once a huge part of your life and the reality that sometimes you have to let go for your own well-being. Key themes in the song include loss, heartache, and the process of healing. Particularly poignant moments include lines that emphasize the difficulty of breathing without the person who was once a big part of your life, expressing the depth of emotional struggle and the challenge of acceptance.