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

At the top, you're greeted by breathtaking views of the Mönch and Eiger summits and the Aletsch Glacier. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025

The theatrical structure is very much that of a concert, with a chorus of six women and a five-piece band supporting the often breathtaking efforts of principal soloists Greta Oglesby and Dennis Spears. —Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 6 Dec. 2025

To see this in the domed theater puts you in the middle of the action for a truly breathtaking experience. —Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Dec. 2025

In the early 20th century, the breathtaking natural beauty surrounding Saratoga drew tourists seeking to escape the bustle of nearby cities like San Francisco and Berkeley. —Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

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