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.
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to gasp, as for air.
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to long with breathless or intense eagerness; yearn.
to pant for revenge.
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to throb or heave violently or rapidly; palpitate.
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to emit steam or the like in loud puffs.
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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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"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
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Deftly styling a loud pant says you don’t need a remedial lesson in the ridiculous life here.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 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
I guess you could say, she and I are both feeling extra grateful this year and will be happier than a possum up a pant leg on Christmas Eve.
From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024
The program featured a photo of Graham smiling in a tie, his suit coat thrown over his shoulder, his pant legs rolled up as he stood calf deep in Everglades muck.
From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2024
“I think . . . I just need . . . water,” I pant.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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
But for now, the most viable method to avoid infection is to wear a long-sleeved shirt tucked into belted pants, and socks—even better if the clothing is permethrin-treated.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
But we aren't talking short-shorts or denim hot pants fashion designer Amanda Wakeley points out: "If you're asking yourself whether they're too short, they probably are".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
She was last seen wearing a white shirt and black and white dirt-bike pants and riding a gray and white Kawasaki KLX 300R dirt bike, sheriff’s officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
“I saw many girls whose clothing would previously have been reprimanded by the government—unveiled, wearing blouses and pants, with manicured nails,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
I don’t want it to seep into my pants, into my pocket, and ruin my letter to Dr.
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
In exam rooms, elementary schoolers panted from fungal pneumonia, terrified by their breathlessness.
From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2025
Organizers distributed water and goodie bags with treats, as canine participants panted in the shade, their tongues hanging out.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 10, 2024
He barked, panted and drooled until she unlatched the door just a few minutes later.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 28, 2021
She panted, and the pinpricks turned into the outer edges of a tunnel.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
His breathing was heavy and he was panting, she said.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 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
Luna, who started weight pulling in 2021, worked without panting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
Heavy panting, difficulty breathing, excessive drooling, lethargy and drowsiness are all key signs that your dog is too hot.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2025
He looked up at me with that panting, dog-smiling mouth and those shiny black dog eyes: What's happening?
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
