as in pants
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
the runner was audibly gasping by the end of the marathon
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gasps
Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Agnes gasps for breath as her imagination plays out terrible scenarios that she’s never been given words for.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
The rest of the gang rushes inside to be at Eleven’s side and save the children who are trapped inside on the Pain Tree, while Vecna burbles and gasps for air.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
The clashes drew bursts of laughter and, sometimes, gasps, from the show's studio audience and from home viewers.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Dec. 2025
Demerzel gasps, and for once Day isn’t preening in the mirror but bowing his head.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
Another video shows Wallen walking back towards the piano, as the audience gasps and cheers in response.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Agnes gasps for breath as her imagination plays out terrible scenarios that she’s never been given words for.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Deadline journalists sat towards the back of the room said the N-word and other slurs were audible, as were gasps when Davidson made his involuntary tics.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
The rest of the gang rushes inside to be at Eleven’s side and save the children who are trapped inside on the Pain Tree, while Vecna burbles and gasps for air.
—Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2026
The clashes drew bursts of laughter and, sometimes, gasps, from the show's studio audience and from home viewers.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Dec. 2025
Demerzel gasps, and for once Day isn’t preening in the mirror but bowing his head.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gasps
Verb
-
As soft as pajamas yet lovely enough to wear out on the town (or around the ship), the micro modal fabric of these Saint Haven pants drapes elegantly, resists wrinkles, and has a relaxed fit that works equally well at a harbor-side bar or a breezy dinner ashore.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Some see this version of him as containment, a player without his old spring and who pants a little more during recovery runs.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some nights the crowd heaves outside Mắm and the feeling is catch as catch can, diners hunched on low plastic stools eating off only slightly taller plastic tables, on the sidewalk and in the street, even spilling over to a nearby empty storefront.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
When a degraded grassland returns to health, the ground heaves up, as if inhaling with relief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There had been political whispers in South Windsor since the November election about whether the decision disqualifying Amadasun was part of a Republican ploy to keep Democrats from achieving a council supermajority.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
-
This might be as simple as a public argument – hissing whispers in an elevator.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
That absence has allowed for murmurs of doubt to seep in and create a space for a new enclave of rap fans to dismiss his music as generationally specific despite his very real track record and influence over pop culture.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
31 May 2026
-
Minnesota has been heavily linked to the Greek forward dating back to the trade deadline, and those murmurs don’t figure to subside in the next month-plus.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Clearing right-of-way strips can result in the loss of trees and native vegetation; crackles, hisses and humming can be heard nearby especially during periods of high humidity; and farm fields and animal habitat can be affected by construction activities.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The moans announced the doubt throughout Riviera’s 18th green amphitheater, a bowl full of thousands of fans unsure if the new guy could do it.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
At the moment that B’Tselem says Hathaleen collapsed, the visuals are jostled but moans of pain can be heard.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gasps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gasps. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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