wheeze

[ weez, hweez ]

/ wiz, ʰwiz /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: wheeze / wheezing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), wheezed, wheez·ing.

to breathe with difficulty and with a whistling sound: Asthma caused him to wheeze.

to make a sound resembling difficult breathing: The old locomotive wheezed into the station.

noun

a wheezing breath or sound.

an old and frequently used joke, saying, story, etc.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of wheeze

1425–75; late Middle English whese (v.), probably <Old Norse hvæsa to hiss

OTHER WORDS FROM wheeze

wheez·er, nounwheez·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby wheeze

wheel wobble, wheelwork, wheelwright, wheen, wheesh, wheeze, wheezy, whelk, whelked, whelm, whelp

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use wheeze in a sentence

Some 41 percent of allergy-free and wheeze-free children had grown up in such allergen and bacteria-rich homes.
More Germs, Less Asthma? Study Shows Babies Exposed to Bacteria and Dander at Less Risk|Brandy Zadrozny|June 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many sniffle and wheeze antidotes are in the list of the 100 most frequently prescribed medications in 2013.
Blame Climate Change for Your Terrible Seasonal Allergies|Kent Sepkowitz|May 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was so weak in the chest you could hear her wheeze as far as you could see her.
Christmas Every Day and Other Stories|W. D. Howells
Landry disappeared behind the curtains and in a moment Fred heard the wheeze of an atomizer.
Song of the Lark|Willa Cather

There is every variety of this music, from the low wheeze of the asthmatic, to the stentorian grunt of the corpulent and profound.
The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, May 1844|Various
I jumped him three times before I could get a fair shot at him, and could hear him wheeze every time I came near him.
Cruisings in the Cascades|George O. Shields
I plainly heard the wheeze of blood in its throat, and the sound, like a death-rattle, affected me powerfully.
Tales of lonely trails|Zane Grey

British Dictionary definitions for wheeze

wheeze

/ (wiːz) /

verb

to breathe or utter (something) with a rasping or whistling sound

(intr) to make or move with a noise suggestive of wheezy breathing

noun

a husky, rasping, or whistling sound or breathing

British slang a trick, idea, or plan (esp in the phrase good wheeze)

informal a hackneyed joke or anecdote

Derived forms of wheeze

wheezer, nounwheezy, adjectivewheezily, adverbwheeziness, noun

Word Origin for wheeze

C15: probably from Old Norse hvǣsa to hiss

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for wheeze

wheeze

[ wēz ]

To breathe with difficulty, producing a hoarse whistling sound.

A wheezing sound.

wheeze

Origin of wheeze

OTHER WORDS FROM wheeze

Words nearby wheeze

Words related to wheeze

How to use wheeze in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wheeze

Derived forms of wheeze

Word Origin for wheeze

Medical definitions for wheeze