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Definition of gasp
intransitive verb
1 : to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2 : to breathe laboriously
transitive verb
: to utter in a gasping manner
gasp
nounPeople Are Reading
Examples of gasp in a Sentence
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 of gasp from the Web
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For services, a Brazilian wax on average costs $37.50 here, compared to $5.81 in Egypt (gasp).
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Blood oxygen levels fall and the brain awakens the person, who then snorts or gasps for air and then resumes snoring.
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Even the crowd gasped when blood gushed down Hardy's face.
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Patients taken off ventilators will often gasp for air.
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Cleveland scored 49 in the first quarter and 86 during a dizzying opening 24 minutes that left players and fans gasping for air.
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Cold exposure is supposed to help people train themselves to suppress a fight-or-flight response, and holding one’s breath teaches an ability to suppress a reflex to gasp.
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In a factory parking lot in Brooklyn, a crowd of about 100 people gasped and murmured as Tobias Peggs cracked open the heavy metal doors of a white shipping container, allowing pink light to spill out from within.
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Spectators gasped when he was hit and quickly fell and was silent for several minutes while medical personnel tended to him.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gasp'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of gasp
Middle English; akin to Old Norse geispa to yawn
GASP Defined for English Language Learners
gasp
playDefinition of gasp for English Language Learners
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: to breathe in suddenly and loudly with your mouth open because of surprise, shock, or pain
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: to breathe with difficulty
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: to say (something) with quick, difficult breaths
GASP Defined for Kids
Definition of gasp for Students
gasped
;gasping
1 : to breathe in suddenly and loudly with the mouth open because of surprise, shock, or pain I could see … spectators gasping at moves no human had ever made before. — Jerry Spinelli, Crash
2 : to breathe with difficulty : pant The runners were gasping after the race.
3 : to utter with quick difficult breaths “I think we're lost,” she gasped.
Definition of gasp for Students
1 : the act of breathing in suddenly or with difficulty I heard the crowd's loud gasp.
2 : something gasped He let out a gasp of surprise.
Learn More about gasp
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See words that rhyme with gasp Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gasp Spanish Central: Translation of gasp Nglish: Translation of gasp for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gasp for Arabic speakers
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