as in panting
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
the runner was audibly gasping by the end of the marathon
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Recent Examples of gasping
She was allegedly admitted to the hospital and was found in her room the next morning, vomiting and gasping for air.
—
Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
This often results in a choking, snorting, or gasping sound as normal breathing resumes.
—Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iranian state television announcer was gasping for air.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Female jurors watched with rapt attention, some gasping in shock.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Galvan’s family and then officers called to the scene found him on the ground near a snowbank, gasping for breath.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Then came another jab, and the hairpiece bounced up as if Miller’s scalp was the bottom of a gasping clam.
—Matt Moret, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The result is a searing drama that had audiences at the National Theatre in London, where the production opened at the end of 2024, gasping in surprise, shock, and sympathy.
—Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
She was allegedly admitted to the hospital and was found in her room the next morning, vomiting and gasping for air.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch, 13 Mar. 2026
This often results in a choking, snorting, or gasping sound as normal breathing resumes.
—Daniel Combs, Verywell Health, 9 Mar. 2026
The Iranian state television announcer was gasping for air.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Female jurors watched with rapt attention, some gasping in shock.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
Galvan’s family and then officers called to the scene found him on the ground near a snowbank, gasping for breath.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Then came another jab, and the hairpiece bounced up as if Miller’s scalp was the bottom of a gasping clam.
—Matt Moret, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The result is a searing drama that had audiences at the National Theatre in London, where the production opened at the end of 2024, gasping in surprise, shock, and sympathy.
—Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
She was allegedly admitted to the hospital and was found in her room the next morning, vomiting and gasping for air.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasping
panting
Verb
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Eyes wide, panting near panic, Foster perfectly captures the audience's own fear of being alone in the dark with a monster.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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User @briadeshaun took a more relatable route and impersonated an out-of-shape owl, worn out from flying and repeatedly panting to catch its breath.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gasping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gasping. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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