breathless

adjective

ˈbreth-ləs How to pronounce breathless (audio)
Definition of breathlessnext
1
as in close
lacking fresh air the room was hot and breathless

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed ran at a breathless pace to get help

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fallen
no longer living carried the breathless body of his beloved dog back home

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of breathless Rodriguez was still breathless during the post dance interviews. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 Suspended against the luminous moon, the eagle becomes a timeless presence in the cold, breathless vastness of the alpine night. — New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026 The movie, examining the rise of Sam Altman (played by Andrew Garfield) and OpenAI, was dropped by Amazon MGM earlier this year, leading to a scramble for a new buyer before Neon stepped in — and breathless speculation about the movie’s contents. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 The press is breathless at the moment with predictions that if the conflict in Iran is not resolved before November’s midterms, Americans will turn on Republicans, ensuring Democrats seize control of both the House and the Senate. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for breathless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathless
  1. close
  2. rapid
  3. fallen
  4. suffocating
  5. brisk
  6. dead
  7. stifling
  8. quick
Adjective
  • His closest competitor, Chris Brown, sang about navigating teenage love.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Here’s a closer look at where those marks rank in UM history.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • Seen through this lens, rising demand for in-person connection amid the rapid expansion of technology is not a contradiction.
    — Davis Noell, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The project signals continued demand for rapid-deployment energy infrastructure.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • Turf expert Jeff Fowler of Tip Top Turf Solutions said the wet, fallen leaves form a mat.
    — John Shumway, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, a property owner doesn’t have grounds to seek compensation if the fallen fruit does not cause any damage.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of fallen
Adjective
  • Scientists suspect that the combination of high heat and a suffocating deep-tropical air mass will be considered the worst humidity the region has experienced in the modern era.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Eilish will play Greenwood, the brilliant young woman at the center of Plath’s semi-autobiographical story, which follows her descent into mental illness amid the suffocating expectations placed on women in 1950s America.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of suffocating
Adjective
  • There’s a lot packed into that paragraph, but Ribaudo is adept at keeping the narrative brisk and compelling.
    — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Over Zoom on a brisk morning back home in Korea, Jeon has just experienced a whirlwind of a month.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of brisk
Adjective
  • Police said Sunday that a 65-year-old man was found dead on a sidewalk near an entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The vehicle arrived at a hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead, and another individual was critically injured, according to authorities.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of dead
Adjective
  • For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of stifling
Adjective
  • Here’s a quick primer on the leading agents and tips for how to start.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Naz Reid struck fire midway through the fourth, executing, in quick succession, plays on both ends of the court.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of quick

Browse Nearby Words

breathing (out)
breathless
breaths
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breathless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathless. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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