as in gasping
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
the dog was panting heavily after his breakneck run across the field
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Recent Examples of panting
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
Her dog panting, unquestioning, always thrilled to see her.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
Gus was awake and panting at his feet.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
Canines might be stressed and anxious, which can be shown through panting, whining, barking, pacing or fidgeting.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Gives himself entirely to the race, shoots like a phantom up through the opening and then stands panting in the garret, completely motionless, while his eyes become accustomed to the change of light.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Her husband was a bear — wild, panting, with sweat pasting his T-shirt to his chest.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Howard’s best comedies have a light, almost effortless touch, but this one is panting and gasping essentially from the opening frames.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Kim Doggett walked outside last Sunday to find her chocolate cake on the floor of her back porch, brown paw prints on her new beige couch and a panting opossum lying on top of it.
—Dawn Sawyer, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Her dog panting, unquestioning, always thrilled to see her.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
Gus was awake and panting at his feet.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
Canines might be stressed and anxious, which can be shown through panting, whining, barking, pacing or fidgeting.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
Gives himself entirely to the race, shoots like a phantom up through the opening and then stands panting in the garret, completely motionless, while his eyes become accustomed to the change of light.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Her husband was a bear — wild, panting, with sweat pasting his T-shirt to his chest.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Howard’s best comedies have a light, almost effortless touch, but this one is panting and gasping essentially from the opening frames.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Kim Doggett walked outside last Sunday to find her chocolate cake on the floor of her back porch, brown paw prints on her new beige couch and a panting opossum lying on top of it.
—Dawn Sawyer, CNN, 15 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for panting
gasping
Verb
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That one is a flimsy piano ballad where the duo’s approach to vocals—strangled, swirled and gasping—comes off more annoying than innovative, like a joke that isn’t funny anymore.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
12 Jan. 2026
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Those in the audience were heard clapping, cheering and even gasping during the performance.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Panting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/panting. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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