as in gasping
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty
he was wheezing rapidly after a hard run
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wheezing
Many of the cats were underweight with bones showing, and some suffering from respiratory infections were wheezing and had discharge around their eyes and noses.
—
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Noah, however, couldn't run the length of a football field without wheezing.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Taken together, these factors can lead to children wheezing and experiencing difficulty breathing, leaving them with bluish colored skin from a lack of oxygen.
—Michael Cromer, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Southampton gave it a good go last season, but ultimately fell short, wheezing over the line with 12.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Noah, however, couldn't run the length of a football field without wheezing.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Taken together, these factors can lead to children wheezing and experiencing difficulty breathing, leaving them with bluish colored skin from a lack of oxygen.
—Michael Cromer, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Southampton gave it a good go last season, but ultimately fell short, wheezing over the line with 12.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wheezing
Verb
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By that point, Illinois was already rolling, well on their way to a 101-65 victory that left USC gasping for air.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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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
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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Her dog panting, unquestioning, always thrilled to see her.—
Allegra Goodman,
New Yorker,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wheezing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wheezing. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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