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

Judy lit his cigarette and sucked on it as if gasping for air. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Same lethal drug, different outcomes After the pentobarbital was administered Wednesday night, Howard took a couple of breaths and gasped, the AP reported, before making snoring sounds that grew quiet within 30 seconds. — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Noun

The gasp-inducing scale and intricate stonework of Borobudur have attracted numerous global figures over the years. — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 Inserra also paid Schlenhardt a compliment that was gasp-inducing in itself. — Mike McGraw, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gasp

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasp

Verb

As Europe panted through rolling heatwaves this summer, I became drawn in by The Perfect Prescription anew.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of pant

Verb

On fourth-and-21 in the second overtime, Seminoles quarterback Ashton Daniels heaved the ball into the end zone and it was caught by Micahi Danzy for a touchdown — one that was called back after a holding call that Florida State felt didn't exist.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
On fourth-and-21 in the second overtime, Seminoles quarterback Ashton Daniels heaved the ball into the end zone and Micahi Danzy caught it for a touchdown — one that was called back after a holding call that Florida State felt didn’t exist.

— Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of heave

Noun

Monday was a perfect example, when the two biggest drags on the S&P 500 were Nvidia and Micron, but were offset almost to the penny by gains in Apple and Meta, helping the index itself to finish a whisper from unchanged.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Lance Leipold has heard the whispers through the years that perhaps Kansas’ football coach doesn’t place enough emphasis on the yearly Sunflower Showdown against Kansas State.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of whisper

Noun

After the first 10 handshakes, the chatter softens to a murmur.

— Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of murmur

Noun

There is just the slow hiss and sigh of the machines, tucked safely out of sight, as social media filled with resistance to mask mandates, to empathy and authority, to the power of the state, and the chorus of anti-vaxxers grew.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
What begins as a folky rendition turns strange with electronic hiss and distorted guitar, even if the bassist is trying to match Dylan’s furor with her instrumentation.

— David Harris, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of hiss

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 21 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

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

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

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes