gasped; gasping; gasps
1
: to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2
: to breathe laboriously
: to utter in a gasping manner
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. SwiftExamples of gasp in a Sentence
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
Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
The audience gasped seeing a lion cub cowering inside.
—Michael Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Ally Neagen, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2025
Karlsson was acquired to give Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang a last gasp at a winner.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gasp
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Verb
Photo: Courtesy of AMPAS The Winners … Best Picture: The Last Emperor
Best Actor: Michael Douglas, Wall Street
Best Actress: Cher, Moonstruck
Best Director: Bernardo Bertolucci, The Last Emperor
Half of the fun of poring over class photos is gasping at the most famous face tucked into the lineup.
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
The audience gasped seeing a lion cub cowering inside.
—Michael Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
The cyberattack in Zero Day is revealed to be orchestrated by a network of influential people, including tech moguls, political figures, and even members of Mullen's own inner circle—most notably his daughter Alexandra (gasp!).
—Ally Neagen, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2025
Karlsson was acquired to give Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang a last gasp at a winner.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gasp
Cite this Entry
“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gasp. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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