as in gasped
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he was wheezing rapidly after a hard run
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 wheezed
The previous owners must have doused the property with chemicals, and as summer wheezed toward its smoky end, my lawn became less suburban ideal and more of a pop quiz in weed identification.
—
Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
The old boiler wheezed and stalled, the roof sprang leaks, half-century-old pipes cracked, and the lobby intercom was defunct.
—Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
The old boiler wheezed and stalled, the roof sprang leaks, half-century-old pipes cracked, and the lobby intercom was defunct.
—Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wheezed
Verb
-
Twice, witnesses reported, Hopper gasped as the lethal injection drugs flowed into his bloodstream.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
-
The premiere audience gasped and snorted in disbelief as Stan and Reinsve suffer the indignity of an overreaching state — removing teens, tweens and an infant from their loving care.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
On one of the machines a Cluely employee panted and huffed in the dark.—
Sam Kriss,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wheezed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wheezed. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
