breathless

[breth-lis]

See more synonyms for breathless on Thesaurus.com

adjective

without breath or breathing with difficulty; gasping; panting: We were breathless after the steep climb.
with the breath held, as in suspense, astonishment, fear, or the like: breathless listeners of the mystery story.
causing loss of breath, as from excitement, anticipation, or tension: a breathless ride.

dead; lifeless.
motionless or still, as air without a breeze: a breathless summer day.

Origin of breathless

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

Related formsbreath·less·ly, adverbbreath·less·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for breathless

Contemporary Examples

Suddenly, you are crying, breathless, raging, and on quieter days just going through the motions.
Grief: The Real Monster in The Babadook
Tim Teeman
December 19, 2014
Whether it's breathless coverage of the New Black Panthers, or reports of vote buying in Mississippi, recent examples abound.
Brace Yourself: October Election Surprises Surely on the Way
Matt Lewis
October 31, 2014
At his shows, I remember there being a hushed, breathless anticipation as we waited to see which song Smith would play next.
‘Heaven Adores You’ Is More Celebratory Than Salacious About Elliott Smith
Rachel Kramer Bussel
June 22, 2014
The community in which you were raised does not gather around the television set every four years for a solid, breathless month.
Why Americans Should Love the World Cup
Sean Wilsey
June 12, 2014
After a breathless waiting period in which the infected were quarantined, none of the six fell ill.
Already Deadly in Africa, Could Ebola Hit America Next?
Scott Bixby
April 5, 2014

Historical Examples

It is only the true lover to whom the breathing form is as sacred as the breathless.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
There was a sort of breathless touch in the air of the room.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
Kitty dropped on the floor at Helen's feet; the hush in the room was breathless.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark
The Countess, breathless from dancing, burst in upon the little group.
Chip, of the Flying U
B. M. Bower
A crowd of silent men had gathered about the box in a breathless wait.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser

British Dictionary definitions for breathless

breathless

adjective

out of breath; gasping, etc
holding one's breath or having it taken away by excitement, etca breathless confrontation
(esp of the atmosphere) motionless and stifling
rare lifeless; dead

Derived Formsbreathlessly, adverbbreathlessness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for breathless

adj.

late 14c., "unable to breathe," from breath + -less. Meaning "out of breath, panting" is from mid-15c. Used from 1590s in the sense "dead." Meaning "forgetting to breathe due to excitement, awe, anticipation, etc." is recorded from 1802. Related: Breathlessly; breathlessness.

breathless

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}breathless

Examples from the Web for breathless

Contemporary Examples

Suddenly, you are crying, breathless, raging, and on quieter days just going through the motions.

Whether it's breathless coverage of the New Black Panthers, or reports of vote buying in Mississippi, recent examples abound.

At his shows, I remember there being a hushed, breathless anticipation as we waited to see which song Smith would play next.

The community in which you were raised does not gather around the television set every four years for a solid, breathless month.

After a breathless waiting period in which the infected were quarantined, none of the six fell ill.

Historical Examples

It is only the true lover to whom the breathing form is as sacred as the breathless.

There was a sort of breathless touch in the air of the room.

Kitty dropped on the floor at Helen's feet; the hush in the room was breathless.

The Countess, breathless from dancing, burst in upon the little group.

A crowd of silent men had gathered about the box in a breathless wait.

breathless

Word Origin and History for breathless

adj.

Origin of breathless