breathtaking

[ breth-tey-king ]

/ ˈbrɛθˌteɪ kɪŋ /

adjective

thrillingly beautiful, remarkable, astonishing, exciting, or the like: a breathtaking performance.

Nearby words

breathing, breathing bag, breathing reserve, breathing space, breathless, breathtaking, breathy, breccia, brecciate, brecht, breckinridge

Origin of breathtaking

First recorded in 1875–80; breath + take + -ing²

Related forms

breath·tak·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for breathtakingly

The dance sequences in Pina are breathtakingly filmed—some in the theater, some in outdoor settings.
Wim Wenders Talks About His 3-D Pina Bausch Documentary|Stephen Farber|December 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The good cop/bad cop routine with Joe Biden, who dutifully argued against more troops, was breathtakingly cynical.
Bush Lite|Lee Siegel|November 30, 2009|DAILY BEAST
A few weeks ago, she debuted her spring collection of breathtakingly short, tight dresses and skirts, to critical raves.
Inside Donatella's World|Rebecca Dana|October 20, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He had bet on real estate for decades and been breathtakingly successful.
More Bad News for Tribune|Larry Kramer|December 8, 2008|DAILY BEAST

No woman he had ever known seemed so breathtakingly beautiful.
Impact|Irving E. Cox
The feeling of being cast on your own resources is at once blissfully uplifting and breathtakingly fearsome.
Left End Edwards|Ralph Henry Barbour

British Dictionary definitions for breathtakingly

breathtaking

/ (ˈbrɛθˌteɪkɪŋ) /

adjective

causing awe or excitementa breathtaking view

Derived Forms

breathtakingly, adverb

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