as in to gasp
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he was so nervous he began hyperventilating, and the extra oxygen made him dizzy
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Recent Examples of hyperventilate
The hyperactive plotting runs on hyperventilating prose.
—
Book Marks
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Some may also hyperventilate, which can lead to fainting as well.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Belly hyperventilates and runs to the bathroom to calm down with Taylor.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Breathing difficulties: The shock of sudden cold-water exposure can cause bouts of wheezing, gasping, and rapid breathing (hyperventilating).
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hyperventilate
Book Marks
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Some may also hyperventilate, which can lead to fainting as well.
—Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
Belly hyperventilates and runs to the bathroom to calm down with Taylor.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Breathing difficulties: The shock of sudden cold-water exposure can cause bouts of wheezing, gasping, and rapid breathing (hyperventilating).
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hyperventilate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperventilate
Verb
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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
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There was the lob from Ayton that James threw down left-handed, making teammates leap off their seats and fans gasp and cheer.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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The men’s jeans retail for $145 and the twill pants for $135.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hyperventilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperventilate. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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