gasp 1 of 2

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

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gasp

2 of 2

noun

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
There was a pause, a collective gasp, among the spectators. Hanif Abdurraqib june 12, Literary Hub, 12 June 2025 Occasional gasps arose as the asteroid took shape and a jagged, rocky surface filled the view. IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2025
Noun
Lots happens along the way, including the pair running into a pregnant infected woman, who gives birth to (gasp?) a completely healthy and normal baby, and eventually finding their way to Kelson. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 June 2025 Williams’ family was sitting at the back of the courtroom and collectively gasped when prosecutors revealed the little boy is believed to have been alive when Williams threw him from the bridge. Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gasp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasp
Verb
  • Plus, the 100-percent, double-weave cotton feels light on the skin, giving even your best pair of comfy pajama pants a run for its money.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2025
  • Timothée Chalamet Timothée Chalamet wears the Visa CashApp Racing Bulls team kit shirt and Chrome Hearts pants with Timberland Boots.
    Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • Lorde then disoriented her audience with 2021’s Solar Power, a warm sigh of an album from a star enjoying some well-deserved relaxation.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
  • Short in stature and wearing a blue apron, Gongora let out a big sigh and cried, using her fingers to wipe her tears.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • When videos of Serwa heaving a knuckler at 88.5 mph hit the internet this winter, the baseball world noticed.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • The green folds of cliffs chanted our imagined names, caught winds heaving an ocean of clouds that piled like seawrack muffling the mill’s whistle, windrows of rain gathered upon the mountain’s emerald stacks, the black crown of the day’s celebration.
    Garrett Hongo, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Every new headline—whether a cease-fire whisper or another drone strike—moves Brent and insurance quotes long before drilling rigs or pipelines can respond.
    Guney Yildiz, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Jane spoke barely above a whisper to an attentive jury throughout her afternoon testimony.
    Larry Neumeister, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Verb
  • One man began to hyperventilate while handcuffed on the ground after being detained.
    Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025
  • Then Tanev left the game, and fans were probably hyperventilating.
    James Mirtle, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Pulmonic stenosis is a congenital heart defect where the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs is obstructed, and a grade VI murmur is the most intense type of heart murmur, typically indicating a significant abnormality.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
  • As a child, the fighter was actually ordered by doctors not to play sports because of a heart murmur.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • When that harmony hits, the sale becomes a symphony: the crack of the register, the rustle of the bag, the quiet thrill of being chosen.
    Joel Goldstein, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • There was no answer, just a footstep behind him and the rustle of a dress.
    Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Suffice to say, the 2025 Cannes market will be filled with even more groans on moans than years past.
    Elsa Ramo, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
  • There's a push, and suddenly, a newborn's first cry replaces the mother's moans.
    Laura Gómez, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gasp. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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