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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Unit 6, Week 1
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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.
It wasn’t only the breathtaking cinematography or the immediate fantasy of booking a flight to Modena and a table at Osteria Francescana.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
"If you've never seen a total eclipse, it is breathtaking," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Wales cut Russia to ribbons with a breathtaking attacking display, racing into a 2-0 lead in 20 minutes.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“A once-in-a-generation Hollywood Hills estate, this extraordinary 6.5-acre gated compound offers exceptional privacy, breathtaking panoramic views, and an unrivaled legacy of ownership,” the listing reads.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
After the Cambrian explosion, exquisite new adaptations followed one another with comparatively breathtaking speed.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions 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.
