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

Chinese robotics has advanced at a breathtaking pace as the tech race between the United States and China heats up in several key areas, including AI. —Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 15 May 2026

Even the guesthouse has one of the most breathtaking views, with an outdoor pool and several sun loungers to take in the scenery. —Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026

As the climate warms, the world’s most breathtaking landscapes are becoming its most fragile. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026

The front door opens to one of the most breathtaking rooms in the city. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 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