breathlessness
Noun: A state of being out of breath or experiencing difficult or labored breathing; a feeling of not being able to get enough air. It is often a symptom of exertion, anxiety, or an underlying medical condition.
"Breathlessness" is used to describe the subjective sensation of shortness of breath. It is a common symptom reported in medical contexts but can also be used in everyday language to describe the effect of intense physical activity. - It is typically used as a non-count noun (e.g., a feeling of breathlessness). - It often follows prepositions like with, from, or due to.
- The patient's main complaint was breathlessness after climbing a single flight of stairs.
- She felt a sudden wave of breathlessness during the panic attack.
- Intense exercise can cause temporary breathlessness in even the fittest individuals.
- Medical Context: In clinical settings, "breathlessness" (or dyspnea) is a key symptom assessed for conditions like asthma, heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- The doctor evaluated the severity of her breathlessness using a standardized scale.
Breathless (adjective): Suffering from or causing breathlessness; also can mean feeling intense excitement or suspense.
- He was breathless after the sprint.
- The audience was breathless with anticipation.
Dyspnea (noun): The medical term for difficult or labored breathing; synonymous with breathlessness in clinical terminology.
- Shortness of breath
- Dyspnea (medical term)
- Panting
- Gasping
- Easy breathing
- Normal respiration
Out of breath: A common phrase describing the state of breathlessness, especially after exertion.
- He was completely out of breath after running for the bus.
Fight for breath: A phrase emphasizing the severe struggle to breathe.
- During the asthma attack, she felt she was fighting for breath.
- a dyspneic condition