gasp

American  

[gasp, gahsp] / gæsp, gɑsp /

noun

gasps plural

1. a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise.

2. a convulsive effort to breathe.

3. a short, convulsive utterance.

   the words came out in gasps.

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verb (used without object)

gasps, present (3rd person singular) gasped, past participle, past gasping present participle

1. to catch one's breath.

   Synonyms:

   blow, puff

2. to struggle for breath with the mouth open; breathe convulsively.

   Synonyms:

   blow, puff

3. to long with breathless eagerness; desire; crave (usually followed by for orafter ).

verb (used with object)

gasps, present (3rd person singular) gasped, past participle, past gasping present participle

1. to utter with gasps (often followed by out, forth, away, etc.).

   She gasped out the words.

2. to breathe or emit with gasps (often followed byaway ).

idioms

1. last gasp, the point of death; dying.

   At his last gasp he confessed to the murder.

gasp British  

/ ɡɑːsp /

verb

1. (intr) to draw in the breath sharply, convulsively, or with effort, esp in expressing awe, horror, etc

2. (intr; foll by after or for) to crave

3. to utter or emit breathlessly

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noun

1. a short convulsive intake of breath

2. a short convulsive burst of speech

3. 1. at the point of death

   2. at the last moment

gasp More Idioms  

1. see last gasp.

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Synonym Usage

See pant ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gaspingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gasps
  plural

Participles

• gasping
  present
• gasped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• gasp
  simple
• gasps
  simple
• have gasped
  perfect
• has gasped
  perfect
• am gasping
  progressive
• are gasping
  progressive
• is gasping
  progressive
• have been gasping
  perfect progressive
• has been gasping
  perfect progressive

Past

• gasped
  simple
• had gasped
  perfect
• was gasping
  progressive
• were gasping
  progressive
• had been gasping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will gasp
  simple
• will have gasped
  perfect
• will be gasping
  progressive
• will have been gasping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of gasp

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gaspen, probably Old English *gāspen, equivalent to Old Norse geispa; akin to gape

Explanation

A gasp is the sound made by a sharp inward breath. After running up a steep hill, your breath will come in gasps. When you make the sound of a gasp, you gasp: "It was so surprising to see my lost cat sitting calmly on the front porch that it made me gasp." People tend to gasp when they're shocked or hurt. A "last gasp" is the moment just before someone dies — it can also mean the point of completing or ending something: "It was the last gasp of video stores in my city when that one closed."

Example Sentences

Lee, then, is left wondering if this is the true nature of mortality: a long pattern of disappointments, up to and including the moment you gasp your final breath.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Footage shows the towering rocket erupt in an inferno, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke as bystanders gathered to watch the launch gasp "Oh no!" and "Oh my God!"

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

“There was an audible gasp in the room.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

“And we don’t know if this is a performance,” Nino added, drawing a playful gasp from Delilah.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Christopher’s heart swept upward, and he heard Mal gasp as she realized what he was doing, saw her face break into a sudden, scrunch-faced smile.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Related Words

• choke
• snort
• whoop