gasp
noun
a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise.
were gasping
-
past progressiveof gasp.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said that even in training camp, the team’s veteran players were gasping at Miles’s plays.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
It felt like when some of us were gasping for breath, everyone else just had a collective shrug and didn’t think anything of it.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 24, 2022
Teila and Fabian had smashed an upstairs window and were gasping for air while Andrew shoved soaking towels under doors.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2020
“They did an amazing job and, honestly, it didn’t look like they were gasping for air. It didn’t look like treading water,” Wheeler said.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 24, 2019
Azareen and Eril-Fane were gasping for breath, their hreshteks still drawn, shoulders heaving.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
