breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: causing one to breathe rapidly or with difficulty : making one out of breath

a breathtaking pain in her side

2

a

: exciting, thrilling

a breathtaking race

b

: very great : astonishing

his breathtaking ignorance

breathtakingly

ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of breathtaking

• exciting
• thrilling
• interesting
• intriguing
• inspiring

Examples of breathtaking in a Sentence

The train raced past with breathtaking speed.

They gave a breathtaking performance.

The view of the mountains was breathtaking.

a scene of breathtaking beauty

The scope of the error is breathtaking.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu is one of Southern California’s most breathtaking drives — but also one of its deadliest. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Sonos Era 500 Immerse yourself in breathtaking sound from every direction with the Sonos Era 300 Smart Speaker. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

The adventure began with the helicopter soaring over breathtaking landscapes of alpine peaks and turquoise waters, before touching down at the bay. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026

While there were some breathtaking gowns on display, these ready-to-wear pieces could easily be selected as the bridal attire for the entire wedding weekend. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for breathtaking

• awaking
• backbreaking
• bookmaking
• brickmaking
• caretaking
• dressmaking
• filmmaking
• forsaking
• glassmaking
• groundbreaking
• haymaking
• heartbreaking

Kids Definition

breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: making one out of breath

breathtaking speed

2

: exciting, thrilling

breathtaking beauty

breathtakingly

-kiŋ-lē 

adverb