gasp
1 of 2verb
ˈgasp 
gasped; gasping; gasps
intransitive verb
1
: to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2
: to breathe laboriously
transitive verb
: to utter in a gasping manner
gasp
2 of 2noun
plural gasps
: an act of gasping : a sudden loud intake of breath with one's mouth because of surprise, shock, pain, etc.
He let out an audible gasp at the sight of the snake.
a gasp of surprise
His eyes looked wild and strange from the fever; he trembled continuously, and each breath he took sounded like a gasp for life.
Robert C. O'Brien
Robert C. O'BrienIn the next hour Lemieux drew gasps from the crowd half a dozen more times … E. M. Swift
E. M. Swift
Synonyms
Verb
- blow
- heave
- hyperventilate
- pant
- puff
- wheeze
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb Mom gasped in surprise at the sight of my sister's new haircut. He gasped as he stepped into the icy water. a dying man gasping for breath She was gasping for air.
Recent Examples on the Web David Streit, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Folks would gasp as the bird launched into the air, perfectly timed with the soaring music. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 28 July 2022 Brendan Mullin, who took pictures of the event, could hear children gasp when a Marine Santa entered a prekindergarten classroom. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2021 At the 7903-foot summit, the Turbo S's twin altitude compensators keep the engine at full tilt, whereas the 911 GT3's naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six would likely gasp for oxygen. David Beard, Car and Driver, 20 Jan. 2022 Brendan Mullin, who took pictures of the event, could hear children gasp when a Marine Santa entered a pre-kindergarten classroom. Fox News, 26 Dec. 2021 Traditionalists might gasp at the idea of painting your floors, saying it’s sacrilege to cover the wood. Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2021 Airlines will gasp until Thanksgiving to see if the boom in summer leisure travel continues with families wanting to be together for that holiday. Ben Baldanza, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2021 He and other rehabbers are overloaded with waterfowl riddled with gapeworm, a parasite that lives and breeds in a bird’s trachea and causes it to gasp or shake its head. New York Times, 20 July 2021 See More
Verb
Humid air slowly retreats today, but get ready to gasp this weekend at the low humidity and beautiful blue skies. David Streit, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Folks would gasp as the bird launched into the air, perfectly timed with the soaring music. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 28 July 2022 Brendan Mullin, who took pictures of the event, could hear children gasp when a Marine Santa entered a prekindergarten classroom. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2021 At the 7903-foot summit, the Turbo S's twin altitude compensators keep the engine at full tilt, whereas the 911 GT3's naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six would likely gasp for oxygen. David Beard, Car and Driver, 20 Jan. 2022 Brendan Mullin, who took pictures of the event, could hear children gasp when a Marine Santa entered a pre-kindergarten classroom. Fox News, 26 Dec. 2021 Traditionalists might gasp at the idea of painting your floors, saying it’s sacrilege to cover the wood. Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2021 Airlines will gasp until Thanksgiving to see if the boom in summer leisure travel continues with families wanting to be together for that holiday. Ben Baldanza, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2021 He and other rehabbers are overloaded with waterfowl riddled with gapeworm, a parasite that lives and breeds in a bird’s trachea and causes it to gasp or shake its head. New York Times, 20 July 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English; akin to Old Norse geispa to yawn
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
circa 1529, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing gasp
Kids Definition
gasp 1 of 2
verb
ˈgasp
gasped; gasping
1
: to breathe in suddenly and loudly with the mouth open because of surprise, shock, or pain
I could see … spectators gasping at moves no human had ever made before. Jerry Spinelli, Crash
Jerry Spinelli, Crash2
: to breathe with difficulty : pant
The runners were gasping after the race.
3
: to utter with quick difficult breaths
"I think we're lost," she gasped.
gasp
2 of 2noun
1
: the act of breathing in suddenly or with difficulty
I heard the crowd's loud gasp.
2
: something gasped
He let out a gasp of surprise.
gasped 1 of 2
adjective
as in whispered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- whispered
- shouted
- murmured
- muttered
- mumbled
- breathed
- sputtered
- mouthed
- drawled
- squeaked
- intoned
- spluttered
- purred
- chirped
- enunciated
- uttered
- articulated
- voiced
- pronounced
- vocal
- sonant
- spoken
- oral
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- silent
- inarticulate
- quiet
- mute
- unspoken
- unexpressed
- unsaid
- unuttered
- unvoiced
- nonvocal
- voiceless
- surd
gasped
2 of 2verb
as in panted
to breathe hard, quickly, or with difficulty the runner was audibly gasping by the end of the marathon Synonyms & Similar Words
- panted
- heaved
- wheezed
- choked
- hyperventilated
- blew
- snored
- gulped
- huffed
- puffed
- exhaled
- hove
- was out of breath
- gagged
- strangled
- stifled
- snuffled
- asphyxiated
- smothered
- expired