out of breath

Idioms

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.

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.

The activity needs to be strenuous enough to leave you noticeably out of breath.

From Science Daily • May 16, 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

He jumped at the chance to speak in their local dialect, joking that his north Wales family always sounded like they were "running out of breath".

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

I arrived at Room 315 on time and out of breath.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025

He ran down Portal Avenue as fast as he could for as long as he could until he was out of breath.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023