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.
Ukraine's delicate ballad Ridnym includes a breathtaking 30-second-long high note; while Serbian band Lavina unleash a blood-curdling scream at the end of their metalcore ballad, Kraj Mene.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
A breathtaking dancer, Alexis Fousekis, served as what might be heaven’s most eccentric angel.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Before her faceoff with Trump, Kelly was known as one of the saner, smarter voices at Fox News—a notable if not breathtaking accomplishment.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
We delivered Moynihan Train Hall across the street—a grand space with a breathtaking skylight and first-class amenities.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
The trail maintainers in Maine have a certain hale devotion to seeking out the rockiest climbs and most forbidding slopes, and of these Maine has a breathtaking plenitude.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
