1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

breathless

adjective

ˈbreth-ləs How to pronounce breathless (audio)
Definition of breathlessnext
1
as in close
lacking fresh air the room was hot and breathless

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed ran at a breathless pace to get help

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fallen
no longer living carried the breathless body of his beloved dog back home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of breathless During most preseasons, updates on freshman talent would be fodder for breathless headlines. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 In regard to more recent speculation about Kidman’s personal life, her British Vogue interview didn’t address the breathless reports about a possible new man in her life. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026 With breathless hype and repeat viewings galore, the superhero sequel will cross $2 billion worldwide at a near-record pace. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026 The story has all the makings of a viral documentary replete with breathless details, similar to the ones McDonnell’s company produced. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for breathless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breathless
  1. close
  2. rapid
  3. fallen
  4. suffocating
  5. brisk
  6. dead
  7. stifling
  8. quick
Adjective
  • On closer-range shots, Brughmans often adopts a wide base with his chest slightly forward and his arms relatively low.
    — Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In the ninth inning, Ozzie Albies legged out a double off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran (2-5) and Riley followed with a triple off the centerfield fence, giving the Braves the lead.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of close
Adjective
  • The system must support rapid acceleration while allowing the interceptor to maneuver toward its target.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Both two-stage vehicles are being manufactured with full and rapid reusability in mind, with Pathfinder serving as the proving ground for that architecture.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of rapid
Adjective
  • The incident caused street closures for a second day as crews worked to remove the fallen rig, impacting local businesses in the area.
    — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Plus, Vallejo toasts all barrels with fallen oak gathered from the estate to ensure a 100% local identity.
    — Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of fallen
Adjective
  • The Valkyries won their third straight game, defeating the Sparks 78-58 behind a suffocating defensive performance.
    — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
  • The Fleet played a suffocating style of hockey, with a strong forecheck and the ability to wear down opponents with relentless offensive-zone pressure.
    — Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of suffocating
Adjective
  • Fall in Europe brings with it brisk temperatures that make sightseeing an utter joy, thinner crowds that leave room for locals, and an opportunity to experience cities in their most authentic light.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Travelers willing to brave the brisk ocean winds are rewarded with quieter beaches, fewer visitors, and generally lower lodging rates.
    — Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of brisk
Adjective
  • It was blamed for two deaths, including a 74-year-old man found Wednesday near Kauai's south shore and a man found dead Monday on Oahu after a large tree fell on his tent.
    — GENE JOHNSON, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • To push through the change, the Nashville Airport Authority apparently had to update an actual policy that said someone must be dead for two years before having an airport named after them.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dead
Adjective
  • For all the deserved talk about the Knicks’ dynamic offense, the defense has been far more stifling than their reputation suggests.
    — Fred Katz, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Her mother, who had a staid upbringing in California, came to New York in the early sixties looking for someplace more diverse and less stifling.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of stifling
Adjective
  • Reatil and quick-service restaurants can audit drive-thru bottlenecks, analyze foot traffic and flag point-of-sale (POS) anomalies.
    — Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The war, which Putin launched expecting a quick and complete victory, was not an accident.
    — MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of quick

Browse Nearby Words

breathing (out)
breathless
breaths
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Breathless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breathless. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of churlish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All