GASP Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

gasp 1 of 2

verb

ˈgasp

Definition of gasp

as in to pant

to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty the runner was audibly gasping by the end of the marathon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

gasp

2 of 2

noun

as in sigh

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 gasp

Verb

Previous visitors have reported temperature drops, phantom footsteps and the sound of a person gasping for air. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026 Loud persistent snoring, sudden gasping or choking for air, waking with a dry mouth and breathing pauses a partner usually notices first. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026

Noun

The score came with 30 seconds to play, giving Torrey Pines (2-1), one last gasp. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026 The last gasp came when Jerry Lewis Cinema closed its doors in 1996, and the Rockaways went without a commercial indoor theater for the next 25 years. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gasp

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasp

Verb

Like some of the music, the album artwork also pays homage to the animal world and our interconnectedness—the abstract piece offers a single line drawing that weaves in outlines of a panting dog, screeching cat, stoic bunny, and wise owl.

— Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026
Personality pants The brand to know and love right now is Chan Luu.

— Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of pant

Noun

Groups 2 and 3 sigh with relief, knowing there exists a phrase that will help them to explain to acquaintances why their older family member ended up in a care facility.

— Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026
Céline hit it before letting out a sigh of relief, almost suspended in that moment.

— Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of sigh

Verb

In Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers played in their franchise-record ninth consecutive one-score game, but Minnesota (3-0) held on, 23-16, after batting down a desperate Hail Mary heave as time expired.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026
The video on Iranian state television follows the length of a long underground chamber, lined on both sides by tables heaving with wreckage of American military drones.

— Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of heave

Noun

The outcry over data centers — warehouses that contain the hardware for powering artificial intelligence and other technology — was only a faint murmur when McCallister first saw the survey markers.

— Justin Papp, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
The following week, Marc saw his primary care physician, who also detected the murmur and referred him to a cardiologist.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of murmur

Browse Nearby Words

gasoliers

gasp

gasped

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gasp. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gasp

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

regimen

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes