breathless

[ breth-lis ]
/ ˈbrɛθ lɪs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR breathless ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

without breath or breathing with difficulty; gasping; panting: We were breathless after the steep climb.
with the breath held, as in suspense, astonishment, fear, or the like: breathless listeners of the mystery story.
causing loss of breath, as from excitement, anticipation, or tension: a breathless ride.
dead; lifeless.
motionless or still, as air without a breeze: a breathless summer day.

Origin of breathless

First recorded in 1350–1400, breathless is from the Middle English word brethles. See breath, -less

OTHER WORDS FROM breathless

breath·less·ly, adverb breath·less·ness, noun

Words nearby breathless

breather, breathing, breathing bag, breathing reserve, breathing space, breathless, breathtaking, breathy, breccia, brecciate, brecht

Words related to breathless

blown, exhausted, panting, spent, winded, asthmatic, choking, emphysematous, gasping, short-winded, stertorous, agog, anxious, avid, eager, excited, thunderstruck, flabbergasted, open-mouthed

Example sentences from the Web for breathless

British Dictionary definitions for breathless

breathless
/ (ˈbrɛθlɪs) /

adjective

out of breath; gasping, etc
holding one's breath or having it taken away by excitement, etc a breathless confrontation
(esp of the atmosphere) motionless and stifling
rare lifeless; dead

Derived forms of breathless

breathlessly, adverb breathlessness, noun