breathless

adjective

breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs How to pronounce breathless (audio)
1
a
: not breathing
b
: dead
2
a
: panting or gasping for breath
b
: gripped with emotion
breathless in anticipation
c
: intense, gripping
breathless eagerness
breathless prose
d
: very rapid or strenuous
go at a breathless pace
e
: marked by intense or unremitting activity
a breathless schedule
3
: oppressive because of no fresh air or breeze
breathlessly adverb
breathlessness noun

Examples of breathless in a Sentence

They were breathless with anticipation. I watched them in breathless wonder. She describes the scene in breathless prose. He drove at a breathless pace.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moore sprinted down the field in celebration of his game-saving play with 29 seconds left that gave UCLA an unexpectedly breathless 27-20 victory. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 Jerry Coyne has a post up which critiques an extremely breathless review of a new book, Epigenetics Revolution. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 Aug. 2011 One, perpetuated by television, the more breathless elements of the print media, the Premier League itself, and the many and varied financial firms for whom the staggering wealth of English soccer represents an opportunity, has been celebratory. Rory Smith, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2023 During the nominating window, however, a slew of celebrities, among them Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Edward Norton, and Jennifer Aniston, rose up to support Riseborough, hosting screenings and posting breathless social-media testimonials. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for breathless 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of breathless was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near breathless

Cite this Entry

“Breathless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breathless. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

breathless

adjective
breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs How to pronounce breathless (audio)
1
a
: not breathing
2
a
: panting or gasping for breath
3
: difficult to bear because of lack of fresh air or breeze
a hot breathless day
breathlessly adverb
breathlessness noun

Medical Definition

breathless

adjective
breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs How to pronounce breathless (audio)
1
: panting or gasping for breath
2
: suffering from dyspnea

More from Merriam-Webster on breathless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!