as in panting
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
the runner was audibly gasping by the end of the marathon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 gasping
Slayyyter shimmies onto the beat like an amoral John Waters heroine, cruising over the choppy momentum while recounting a toxic love affair in gasping Fred Schneider intonation.
—
Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Olivia Miles makes the types of nifty passes that can leave fans gasping in astonishment.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
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
She was allegedly admitted to the hospital and was found in her room the next morning, vomiting and gasping for air.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
This often results in a choking, snorting, or gasping sound as normal breathing resumes.
—Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iranian state television announcer was gasping for air.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Female jurors watched with rapt attention, some gasping in shock.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Galvan’s family and then officers called to the scene found him on the ground near a snowbank, gasping for breath.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Olivia Miles makes the types of nifty passes that can leave fans gasping in astonishment.
—CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
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
She was allegedly admitted to the hospital and was found in her room the next morning, vomiting and gasping for air.
—Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
This often results in a choking, snorting, or gasping sound as normal breathing resumes.
—Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iranian state television announcer was gasping for air.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Female jurors watched with rapt attention, some gasping in shock.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Galvan’s family and then officers called to the scene found him on the ground near a snowbank, gasping for breath.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasping
panting
Verb
-
Eyes wide, panting near panic, Foster perfectly captures the audience's own fear of being alone in the dark with a monster.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
User @briadeshaun took a more relatable route and impersonated an out-of-shape owl, worn out from flying and repeatedly panting to catch its breath.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gasping. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
