gasped; gasping; gasps
1
: to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2
: to breathe laboriously
: to utter in a gasping manner
plural gasps
: an act of gasping : a sudden loud intake of breath with one's mouth because of surprise, shock, pain, etc.
He let out an audible gasp at the sight of the snake.
a gasp of surprise
His eyes looked wild and strange from the fever; he trembled continuously, and each breath he took sounded like a gasp for life.—
Robert C. O'Brien
Robert C. O'BrienIn the next hour Lemieux drew gasps from the crowd half a dozen more times …—E. M. Swift
E. M. SwiftSynonyms
Examples of gasp in a Sentence
Verb
Mom gasped in surprise at the sight of my sister's new haircut.
He gasped as he stepped into the icy water.
a dying man gasping for breath
She was gasping for air.
Recent Examples on the Web
Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
The new series opens with a gasping, eye-rolling Dexter (Michael C. Hall) being rushed to the hospital in the present day.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
Kat McGowan, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024
That play drew gasps and then applause from the announced 8,022 at the Barclays Center and punctuated what turned into a shockingly easy 87-60 victory for the Terps over the Orange.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 21 Dec. 2024
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Verb
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that occurs when the upper airway is blocked while sleeping, and its symptoms include loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, dry mouth and daytime sleepiness, the National Council on Aging reports.
—Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
The new series opens with a gasping, eye-rolling Dexter (Michael C. Hall) being rushed to the hospital in the present day.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
The organization is also producing a caregiver's guide for people under 50 that includes — gasp — humor.
—Kat McGowan, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024
That play drew gasps and then applause from the announced 8,022 at the Barclays Center and punctuated what turned into a shockingly easy 87-60 victory for the Terps over the Orange.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 21 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gasp
Dictionary Entries Near gasp
Cite this Entry
“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gasp. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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