as in gasping
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 hyperventilating
She was even famously hospitalized for hyperventilating while watching a Lakers game from home.
—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Roscoe pulled over; his daughter started hyperventilating.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
If this sounds like a laundry list of hyperventilating superlatives, then my work here is largely done.
—
Joshua Kosman,
San Francisco Chronicle,
15 Nov. 2025
Specifically, a 1940s B-picture conjuring up some heavy Maria Montez mojo, known as Kiss of the Spider Woman — a typically hyperventilating melodrama that featured a vamping diva playing several parts, including the venomous title character.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
The hyperactive plotting runs on hyperventilating prose.
—
Book Marks
september 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Roscoe pulled over; his daughter started hyperventilating.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
10 Dec. 2025
If this sounds like a laundry list of hyperventilating superlatives, then my work here is largely done.
—
Joshua Kosman,
San Francisco Chronicle,
15 Nov. 2025
Specifically, a 1940s B-picture conjuring up some heavy Maria Montez mojo, known as Kiss of the Spider Woman — a typically hyperventilating melodrama that featured a vamping diva playing several parts, including the venomous title character.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
The hyperactive plotting runs on hyperventilating prose.
—
Book Marks
september 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hyperventilating
Verb
-
Sometimes poetry leaves the cinema behind, gasping for breath.
-
The late-night order halts what would have been the nation’s ninth nitrogen execution, a rare reprieve in a state where recent nitrogen deaths involved shaking, gasping and prolonged suffering.
Verb
-
Dogs primarily regulate heat through panting and small sweat glands in their paw pads, according to the American Kennel Club.
-
Signs include panting, a hoarse bark, scuffing or dragging their toes along the ground, and sometimes regurgitation or swallowing problems.
Cite this Entry
“Hyperventilating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hyperventilating. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
