as in gasped
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he was so nervous he began hyperventilating, and the extra oxygen made him dizzy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 hyperventilated
Advertisement Not every variety-show booking delighted every viewer (just ask the stiffs who hyperventilated when Elvis wiggled his hips on Sullivan’s stage), but there was enough, most nights, to captivate tens of millions of them.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2026
Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperventilated
Verb
-
As seen in footage shared to X and credited to Danish outlet Billed Bladet, the Queen gasped when her son headed in her direction.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
-
Just then, Chinouriri gasped as Slayyyter started playing in the distance, and was back to dancing in her seat.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Pet owners spoke reassuringly to their dogs, who panted and pawed their owners, and to their mewing cats.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
On one of the machines a Cluely employee panted and huffed in the dark.—
Sam Kriss,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hyperventilated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperventilated. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
