breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: causing one to breathe rapidly or with difficulty : making one out of breath

a breathtaking pain in her side

2

a

: exciting, thrilling

a breathtaking race

b

: very great : astonishing

his breathtaking ignorance

breathtakingly

ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• charged
• electric
• electrifying
• exciting
• exhilarating
• exhilarative
• galvanic
• galvanizing
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• inspiring
• intoxicating
• kicky
• mind-bending
• mind-blowing
• mind-boggling
• rip-roaring
• rousing
• stimulating
• stirring
• thrilling

Examples of breathtaking in a Sentence

The train raced past with breathtaking speed.

They gave a breathtaking performance.

The view of the mountains was breathtaking.

a scene of breathtaking beauty

The scope of the error is breathtaking.

Recent Examples on the Web

Situated just 15 minutes south of the city, the lighthouse is worth the short journey for the breathtaking views and a buttery lobster roll from Bite into Maine. —Eliseé Browchuk, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2025

The untouched wilderness and absolute silence make for a truly serene and breathtaking start to the day. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Feb. 2025

Flights depart from Belize City's international and municipal airports and boast breathtaking views over the electric-blue waters of the Caribbean that make the journey just one more part of the experience. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2025

The 35-story glass facade offers breathtaking views from every window, and the 20th-floor Bellpine Bar is an excellent happy-hour stop. —Amanda Calnan Vowels, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: making one out of breath

breathtaking speed

2

: exciting, thrilling

breathtaking beauty

breathtakingly

-kiŋ-lē 

adverb