breathless
/'breθlis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Unable to breathe easily, typically due to exertion, excitement, or illness: Describes a state where breathing is difficult, labored, or temporarily stopped.
- With intense excitement, suspense, or awe, causing one to feel as if holding one's breath: Describes an atmosphere, attention, or interest so absorbing that it figuratively takes one's breath away.
- (Archaic/Literary) Dead; no longer breathing: Describes a lifeless state.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective (Physical State):
- She was breathless after climbing the steep hill.
- The asthma attack left him breathless and frightened.
- Adjective (Emotional/Figurative State):
- The audience listened in breathless silence as the verdict was read.
- We watched the breathless final moments of the championship game.
- Adjective (Archaic/Literary):
- He knelt beside the breathless body.
Advanced Usage
- "breathless with": Used to indicate the cause of the breathlessness.
- She was breathless with anticipation before her performance.
- He was breathless with anger after the argument.
- "breathless pace/speed": Describes something happening at an extremely fast, relentless rate.
- The novel is a breathless thriller that unfolds at a breathless pace.
Variants and Related Words
- Breathlessly (adverb): In a breathless manner.
- They waited breathlessly for the results.
- Breathlessness (noun): The state or condition of being breathless.
- The main symptom was a sudden onset of breathlessness.
Synonyms
- Gasping: Struggling for breath.
- Panting: Breathing with short, quick breaths.
- Winded: Temporarily breathless from exertion.
- Spellbound: Fascinated, entranced (for the figurative sense).
- Pulseless: Without a pulse; dead (for the archaic sense).
Antonyms
- Breathing easily: Breathing without difficulty.
- Calm: Not excited or agitated.
- Bored: Uninterested.
- Animated: Alive, lively.
Related Phrases
- Hold one's breath: To stop breathing temporarily (often in anticipation).
- The similarity to the figurative use of "breathless" is clear: "The crowd held its breath" is synonymous with "The crowd was breathless."
- Out of breath: Breathing with difficulty after exercise.
- This phrase is a common synonym for the physical state of being breathless.
Adjective
- appearing dead; not breathing or having no perceptible pulse
- an inanimate body
- pulseless and dead
- tending to cause suspension of regular breathing
- a breathless flight
- breathtaking adventure
- not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
- breathless at thought of what I had done
- breathless from running
- followed the match with breathless interest