out of breath

Idioms  

1. Breathing with difficulty, panting, gasping. For example, After five flights of stairs I'm out of breath. This slightly hyperbolic term (since literally running out of breath means one is dead) dates from the late 1500s. Also see catch one's breath.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

out of breath

I hear my 5-year-old son proudly exclaim, nearly out of breath.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

I was out of breath because I was pedaling at my regular cadence, but each stroke had a lot more power.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

AQ points are earned whenever physical activity raises your heart rate enough to make you slightly out of breath.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

"There are moments that feel incredibly heightened - you're out of breath, facing elements of hysteria - but it's brilliant."

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2025

There are no trains to be seen when he gets there, out of breath and aching from where his bag has been hitting against his back.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern