gasped; gasping; gasps
1
: to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2
: to breathe laboriously
: to utter in a gasping manner
plural gasps
: an act of gasping : a sudden loud intake of breath with one's mouth because of surprise, shock, pain, etc.
He let out an audible gasp at the sight of the snake.
a gasp of surprise
His eyes looked wild and strange from the fever; he trembled continuously, and each breath he took sounded like a gasp for life.—
Robert C. O'Brien
Robert C. O'BrienIn the next hour Lemieux drew gasps from the crowd half a dozen more times …—E. M. Swift
E. M. SwiftExamples of gasp in a Sentence
Verb
Mom gasped in surprise at the sight of my sister's new haircut.
He gasped as he stepped into the icy water.
a dying man gasping for breath
She was gasping for air.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
These teens were sometimes gasping and talking to the screen, laughing at points, fully immersed, fully relating, even feeling nostalgic for TikTok trends that were popping three years ago.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
The sound of several gasps along with widening eyes followed by broad smiles brought an exuberant energy to the room that was palpable.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gasp
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Verb
His smooth, yet herky-jerky style has had defenses guessing and gasping all season.
—Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 11 June 2025
These teens were sometimes gasping and talking to the screen, laughing at points, fully immersed, fully relating, even feeling nostalgic for TikTok trends that were popping three years ago.
—Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Noun
But instead of a gasp, cry or shout, Olikiabo stays quiet—and when her cousin walks in the room to record her reaction, Olikiabo is hiding in the corner, recording her right back.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
The sound of several gasps along with widening eyes followed by broad smiles brought an exuberant energy to the room that was palpable.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for gasp
Cite this Entry
“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gasp. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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