as in gasps
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he was so nervous he began hyperventilating, and the extra oxygen made him dizzy
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Recent Examples of hyperventilates
Belly hyperventilates and runs to the bathroom to calm down with Taylor.
—
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperventilates
Verb
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In the clip, Meghan gasps as the statue is uncovered from beneath a cloth, visibly stunned by the sentimental present.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
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Agnes gasps for breath as her imagination plays out terrible scenarios that she’s never been given words for.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As soft as pajamas yet lovely enough to wear out on the town (or around the ship), the micro modal fabric of these Saint Haven pants drapes elegantly, resists wrinkles, and has a relaxed fit that works equally well at a harbor-side bar or a breezy dinner ashore.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Apr. 2026
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Some see this version of him as containment, a player without his old spring and who pants a little more during recovery runs.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hyperventilates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperventilates. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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