breathless

adjective

breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs 

1

a

: not breathing

b

: dead

2

a

: panting or gasping for breath

b

: gripped with emotion

breathless in anticipation

c

: intense, gripping

breathless eagerness

breathless prose

d

: very rapid or strenuous

go at a breathless pace

e

: marked by intense or unremitting activity

a breathless schedule

3

: oppressive because of no fresh air or breeze

breathlessly adverb

breathlessness noun

Synonyms

• close
• suffocating
• stifling
• stuffy

Examples of breathless in a Sentence

They were breathless with anticipation.

I watched them in breathless wonder.

She describes the scene in breathless prose.

He drove at a breathless pace.

Recent Examples on the Web

Almost four and a half hours later, the couple woke up to a breathless little boy. —Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025

The first few minutes of the film are a breathless, almost wordless introduction to the Otherlands, with Scarlet trapped under rotting hands clamoring to keep her there. —Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025

There have been no breathless interviews about wedding plans or a tour hiatus. —Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025

New friendships and beefs emerged on TikTok and Snapchat; podcasts like Call Her Daddy and The Viall Files teased dueling narratives in breathless detail. —Caroline Framke, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for breathless

• deathless

Kids Definition

breathless

adjective

breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs 

1

a

: not breathing

b

: dead entry 1 sense 1

2

a

: panting or gasping for breath

b

: breathtaking sense 1

3

: difficult to bear because of lack of fresh air or breeze

a hot breathless day

breathlessly adverb

breathlessness noun

Medical Definition

breathless

adjective

breath·​less ˈbreth-ləs 

1

: panting or gasping for breath

2

: suffering from dyspnea