breathtaking
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of breathtaking
Explanation
When something is breathtaking, it astonishes or amazes you. A breathtaking work of art can leave you speechless and deeply moved. The adjective breathtaking comes from the earlier phrase "take one's breath away," meaning "leave one breathless with amazement and delight." Anything that produces that feeling in you can be described as breathtaking. You might be astonished at the breathtaking view from the top of a mountain, or moved to tears by a breathtaking film. Beautiful things are often breathtaking.
Vocabulary lists containing breathtaking
Call of Beauty: Synonyms for "Beautiful"
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Wow! Synonyms for "Amazing"
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Amazing
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Speaking of the weather conditions while filming, Brydon said "it wasn't that cold, apart from when we went into the Arctic Circle", adding that the scenes were "so breathtaking that you didn't mind the cold".
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
“From the moment you enter, you’re greeted by a breathtaking double staircase in a soaring foyer, setting the tone for the grandeur within,” the description states.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
Europe and the United States will head into Sunday's decisive Solheim Cup singles level on points after a breathtaking rearguard action by the Americans in a nail-biting afternoon fourball session.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
Visitors can see the real thing and more in an exhibition that will feature all of the famed Northern Renaissance artist’s surviving portraits—nine painted panels and one breathtaking preparatory drawing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
They were wrenching, sometimes astonishing, an electronic outpouring of breathtaking anger and compassion.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
