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
Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
Symptoms include snoring, gasping during sleep, waking up tired and difficulty falling or staying asleep
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
This condition is caused by the inflammatory proteins that are present in both psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, Dupati says.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 7 July 2025
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 July 2025
The insinuation has been that Amazon is positioning itself to permanently downsize its roster of human workers that require nights and weekends off, lunch and bathroom breaks, and - gasp – vacations.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gasp
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Verb
Breathing difficulties: The shock of sudden cold-water exposure can cause bouts of wheezing, gasping, and rapid breathing (hyperventilating).
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
Symptoms include snoring, gasping during sleep, waking up tired and difficulty falling or staying asleep
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
This condition is caused by the inflammatory proteins that are present in both psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, Dupati says.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 7 July 2025
Noun
The film reveals a very rare moment as the exacting chef – gasp! – loses total mastery of a strainer.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 July 2025
The insinuation has been that Amazon is positioning itself to permanently downsize its roster of human workers that require nights and weekends off, lunch and bathroom breaks, and - gasp – vacations.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 July 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 14 Jul. 2025.
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