pant
verb (used without object)
to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.
pant
1 American
[pant]
/ pænt /
verb (used without object)
-
pants,
present (3rd person singular)
-
panted,
past participle, past
-
panting
present participle
-
to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.
-
to gasp, as for air.
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to long with breathless or intense eagerness; yearn.
to pant for revenge.
-
to throb or heave violently or rapidly; palpitate.
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to emit steam or the like in loud puffs.
-
Nautical. (of the bow or stern of a ship) to work with the shock of contact with a succession of waves.
verb (used with object)
-
pants,
present (3rd person singular)
-
panted,
past participle, past
-
panting
present participle
noun
-
the act of panting.
-
a short, quick, labored effort at breathing; gasp.
-
a puff, as of an engine.
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a throb or heave, as of the breast.
pant-
3
American
pant
British
/ pænt /
verb
-
to breathe with noisy deep gasps, as when out of breath from exertion or excitement
-
to say (something) while breathing thus
-
to have a frantic desire (for); yearn
-
(intr) to pulsate; throb rapidly
noun
-
the act or an instance of panting
-
a short deep gasping noise; puff
Usage
What does pant- mean? Pant- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “all.” It is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. Pant- comes from the Greek pâs, meaning “all.” The equivalent form derived from Latin is omni-, as in omnivore, which comes from Latin omnis, “all.”What are variants of pan-?Pant- is a variant of panto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Another common variant of pant- is pan-, as in panhuman. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on pan- and panto-.
Synonym Usage
Pant, gasp suggest breathing with more effort than usual. Pant suggests rapid, convulsive breathing, as from violent exertion or excitement: to pant after running for the train. Gasp suggests catching one's breath in a single quick intake, as from amazement, terror, and the like, or a series of such quick intakes of breath, as in painful breathing: to gasp with horror; to gasp for breath.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pantsimple
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pantssimple
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have pantedperfect
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has pantedperfect
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am pantingprogressive
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are pantingprogressive
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is pantingprogressive
-
have been pantingperfect progressive
-
has been pantingperfect progressive
Past
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pantedsimple
-
had pantedperfect
-
was pantingprogressive
-
were pantingprogressive
-
had been pantingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pant1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb panten, from Old French pant(a)is(i)er, from unattested Vulgar Latin phantasiāre “to have visions,” from Greek phantasioûn “to have or form images”; see fantasy
Origin of pant2
First recorded in 1890–95; singular of pants
Explanation
When you breathe hard and fast, you pant. It's perfectly normal to pant after you finish running a marathon — or even after chasing your runaway dog through the neighborhood. You might pause at the top of a hill to pant and catch your breath before you continue on your hike. That loud, gasping breath itself is also a pant — but when this noun is plural, it means trousers, slacks, or jeans. Be careful, though — in parts of the UK, pants are primarily women's undergarments. Any pants you wear on you body come from pantaloons, which in the 1600s meant tights.
Vocabulary lists containing pant
Instead of "Said": Words That Sound Like What They Mean
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"The Jewels of the Shrine" and "Remembered"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Across So Many Seas
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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.
See Examples For:
Legal experts have noted that consumers are unlikely to have any legal case against the retailer because the oversized dimensions of the pant legs put them in the category of obvious risk.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
Bennett completed the training late last year and is now a tailor’s apprentice at the department-store chain, where he is getting real-life experience on the intricacies of pant hems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Dogs pant to keep themselves cool, but the shorter snouts of certain flat-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs make this difficult.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025
“Then why do you have a cat?” one guy asked, as Seuss sniffed his pant cuff suspiciously.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
He dropped the boot to the floor, removed Booth’s sock, pushed his pant leg up his calf, and began the examination.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
Visions of youth whose reverence is scant, Who with the brutal verve of boyhood's prime Insist on being taken to the pant- -omime.
From Modern British Poetry by Louis Untermeyer
The crowd of money managers, economists and other finance types had made their annual pilgrimage to this fishing mecca in Maine’s wilderness, trading suits for T-shirts and cargo pants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
If you spill hot coffee on your pants on the way to work, an extra set of clothes could save you a trip to the store or back home.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
"At one point I was on the verge of 50-inch-waist pants," he says.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
I certainly stood out among the perfectly creased khaki pants and palm combs and top-buttoned flannels contrasted with my clueless bowl haircut and Ninja Turtle suspenders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
I find my work pants, which are down at the bottom of my drawer, my old sweater, and a few other things Mom and I brought from the Ranch.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
"I need to go back to the gym," he panted as the song ended.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
The corgi panted rapidly, her wide eyes fixed on the bustling surgical room at Insight Veterinary Wellness Center in the Sacramento suburb of El Dorado Hills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2024
It was warm enough that babies slept on their parents’ shoulders and dogs panted in their owners’ shadows.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 4, 2022
After the firing, he got up, yelled at the passenger to get back, and panted into his walkie-talkie.
From Slate ● Apr. 14, 2022
Dozer and Petunia panted eagerly on the bench seat beside him.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
It said heatstroke was a "silent killer" and signs included heavy panting, drooling, vomiting, or uncoordinated movement.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
On certain climbs, I topped out panting and exhausted, then realized my bike was in its hardest gear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
"You expect him to be breathing heavily and panting after that. But no, he still has the energy to really celebrate."
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2026
When the congregation responds with rhythmic panting that slowly builds to shrieks of grief and passion, Ann finally feels at home — the burdens she’s been carrying all her life, cast into the ether.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2025
“Hey, look, you guys!” said Tater, panting eagerly.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
