breathless

[breth-lis]

adjective

1. without breath or breathing with difficulty; gasping; panting.

   We were breathless after the steep climb.

2. with the breath held, as in suspense, astonishment, fear, or the like.

   breathless listeners of the mystery story.

3. causing loss of breath, as from excitement, anticipation, or tension.

   a breathless ride.

4. dead; lifeless.

5. motionless or still, as air without a breeze.

   a breathless summer day.

breathless

/ ˈbrɛθlɪs /

adjective

1. out of breath; gasping, etc

2. holding one's breath or having it taken away by excitement, etc

   a breathless confrontation

3. (esp of the atmosphere) motionless and stifling

4. rare,  lifeless; dead

Other Word Forms

• breathlessness noun
• breathlessly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of breathless¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, breathless is from the Middle English word brethles. See breath, -less

Example Sentences

We pushed each other to try things that scared us both, things that left us breathless, bruised and invigorated.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I snapped a photo and sent it to my mom and sister with a breathless description; within minutes, I was officially booked to make it for Christmas Eve.

Read more on Salon

Musically, it's a breathless, colourful sprint through a night out, full of conversational asides and budding romance.

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The media’s breathless coverage of potential “deals” mirrors the same empty diplomatic theater that has characterized Russian negotiations for decades, where verbal promises mean nothing and compromise is viewed as a zero-sum game.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Wales looked predictable in attack and settled for a Keira Bevan penalty to reduce the deficit after a breathless opening quarter.

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