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
Double-bass glissandos hint at hands grubbing in the earth, while abrupt moments of concerted action—notably, an accordion wheezing out an F-sharp-minor chord—suggest flickering signals and transmissions.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Since October, her youngest, now 7, has been coughing and wheezing a lot, especially at night.
—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
7 May 2026
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
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Since October, her youngest, now 7, has been coughing and wheezing a lot, especially at night.
—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
7 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wheezing
Verb
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Sometimes poetry leaves the cinema behind, gasping for breath.
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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
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Dogs primarily regulate heat through panting and small sweat glands in their paw pads, according to the American Kennel Club.
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Signs include panting, a hoarse bark, scuffing or dragging their toes along the ground, and sometimes regurgitation or swallowing problems.
Cite this Entry
“Wheezing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wheezing. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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