How to Use gasp in a Sentence

gasp

1 of 2 verb
  • He gasped as he stepped into the icy water.
  • She was gasping for air.
  • Mom gasped in surprise at the sight of my sister's new haircut.
  • The crowd gasped, then erupted in cheers.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • Aisha gasped and turned to stare at the woman who sat there.
    — Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Wade gasped in grief, reaching out to what was left of her son.
    — Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2023
  • The first among our group glanced at her phone to read a text, gasped and turned away.
    — Roy S. Johnson | [email protected], al, 23 Oct. 2019
  • Kids cheered, some adults gasped and there was a standing ovation.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Collapsed in it, more like, gasping for breath.
    — Stephen King, The Atlantic, 15 May 2026
  • One of his teenage children gasped for air in the middle of the night.
    — Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
  • At this, the paddock gasps in unison.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
  • Her brothers and sisters all gasped.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
  • There will be no ballroom packed with mega-stars to laugh or gasp when the hosts launch their best lines.
    — Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2021
  • The video showed Garcia gasping for air on the couch in his home.
    — Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 9 May 2023
  • Tatum hit three of them, the last a nasty stepback from the top of the key that made the crowd here gasp.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 21 Nov. 2019
  • Korda gasped, covered her mouth, waved to the crowd and wiped away tears.
    — Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • Voices gasped, exhaled for a beat, then rose up in screams of horror.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Others, meanwhile, can be heard gasping and yelling out in shock.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
  • Ravens fans in attendance simply gasped in awe.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2025
  • After a moment, the woman gasped for air.
    — Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Both defenses are going to be gasping for air by the end of the night.
    — Jeremy Cluff, azcentral, 11 Sep. 2019
  • Now, a walk down the block with his kids leaves him gasping for breath and reaching for his oxygen tank.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Sharon moved here from Seattle in 1977 and gasped at the heat.
    — Karina Bland, azcentral, 29 Apr. 2020
  • On this trip, the passengers gasp at the squadron of five bald eagles overhead.
    — Robert N. Jenkins, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
  • Just as the crowd was gasping, though, Brown was called for an offensive foul.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 23 Dec. 2019
  • Gagnon, off to the side, his finger hovering over the button, must have gasped.
    — Washington Post, 2 June 2023
  • View audience members gasped over the flub in the moment.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 26 May 2026
  • Sure, the unwed pregnant teen of the lyrics was keeping her baby, but gasp, the shame of it all.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2023
  • Churchgoers gasped and glanced at their neighbors; some burst out laughing.
    — Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
  • Onlookers gasp as cast members rush over to assist.
    — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026

gasp

2 of 2 noun
  • The 49ers’ last gasp late in the game.
    — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
  • There were just gasps and shouting.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Small gasps of shock—and delight.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Pecan is the last gasp of tree pollen before fall.
    — Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 11 Feb. 2026
  • And take the last gasps of a dynasty right along with it.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
  • There would be a gasp on the other end of the call, then shock.
    — John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Feb. 2023
  • If that happens, your cast iron may end up *gasp* with some rust.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2023
  • The room exploded in gasps and cheers.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The room filled with laughter, gasps, and tears as the finale played.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Or even in my light the world on fire twenties (or gasp, thirties).
    — Rochelle Ratkaj, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Santana made one last gasp effort.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
  • The gasps, the silence, the tepid applause.
    — Alex Connor, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The gasps around the room were, indeed, the sound of a bomb being dropped.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
  • There was a gasp from the gallery when the first innocent verdict was read.
    — Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 22 Dec. 2023
  • Words designed to send a gasp through a room and a chill down a kid's spine, the coup de grâce of dares.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 19 Nov. 2022
  • My breaths are coming short and fast like the last gasps of a fish that can't get enough oxygen.
    — Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2025
  • This idea was unbearable, but watching her gasp for air was worse.
    — Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The round petered out—the last gasp of my obsession with these sorts of games.
    — Moya Lothian-McLean, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2022
  • The remark drew a mix of gasps, murmurs and laughs from others in the room.
    — Emily Chang, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • First, the young one hiding behind a tree, who let out a gasp and collapsed.
    — Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2023
  • Those enveloped by smoke frequently cough and gasp for air.
    — Michele Heisler, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Breathing seemed to take all her strength, jerking her little body with each gasp.
    — Saeed Shah, WSJ, 28 Jan. 2022
  • And then there’s that cameo, the one likely to elicit gasps from longtime fans.
    — Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2024
  • Jenner completed the look with loose, lengthy waves and a—gasp—side part.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 7 Apr. 2022
  • Saša Kalajdžić scored in the 96th minute on the last gasp of the match.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026
  • Yet, Braintree had one final gasp.
    — Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
  • As the man struggled to breathe, the swastika tattooed on his chest rose and fell with each gasp.
    — Taylor Kate Brown, SFChronicle.com, 1 Dec. 2020
  • But when her veil is ripped off from behind, everyone on set gasps as her head goes with it.
    — Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
  • One of his finishes drew gasps from the crowd and they were all applauded.
    — James Nalton, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The 15,000-strong crowd gasps, whistles, and cheers.
    — Mic Anderson Britannica Editors May 18, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 May 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gasp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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