English Meaning & Definitions
The present participle of 'gasp'; inhaling suddenly with the mouth open, typically due to surprise, pain, or exhaustion.
- “She was gasping for air after running the final sprint of the race.”
- “The audience was gasping in disbelief at the magician's final trick.”
Characterized by short, labored, or convulsive breaths.
- “He let out a gasping breath as he finally reached the surface of the water.”
- “The gasping child clutched his chest after the coughing fit.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “gasping”.
Derived from the Middle English 'gaspen', likely of Old Norse origin (related to 'geispa', meaning 'to yawn'). It is onomatopoeic in nature, imitating the sound of a sudden, sharp intake of breath.
Think of a 'gas' leak: you would suddenly stop breathing and then take a sharp, quick breath (gasp) to react.
Frequently Asked Questions About “gasping”
1. What is the meaning of “gasping” in English?
In English, gasping (verb) is defined as: “The present participle of 'gasp'; inhaling suddenly with the mouth open, typically due to surprise, pain, or exhaustion.”.
2. How do you use “gasping” in a sentence?
“She was gasping for air after running the final sprint of the race.”
3. What are English synonyms of “gasping”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “gasping”?
Derived from the Middle English 'gaspen', likely of Old Norse origin (related to 'geispa', meaning 'to yawn'). It is onomatopoeic in nature, imitating the sound of a sudden, sharp intake of breath.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.