breathless

breathless — adjective

1. finding it hard to get enough air into your lungs, often after running, climbing

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

finding it hard to get enough air into your lungs, often after running, climbing, shock, smoke, or illness.

Example

After the last hill, Priya stood breathless beside the trail sign.

after effort: stand breathless

The boys reached the tenth floor breathless after racing up the stairs.

Common collocations
  • feel breathless
  • sound breathless
  • breathless after climbing
  • leave someone breathless
Synonyms
  • out of breath

    the most usual everyday phrase, especially after exercise

  • winded

    informal and often used for sudden loss of air after effort or a hit

  • gasping

    stronger and more vivid, showing quick desperate breaths

Grammar Patterns

be / feel / sound breathless

leave somebody breathless

Usage Note

Most often used after a linking verb such as 'be', 'feel', 'look', or 'sound'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about real trouble getting air, not strong emotion.

Common Mistakes

After climbing the stairs, I was breathless with my bag.
After climbing the stairs, I was breathless.
don't add 'with' here unless you are naming an emotion, as in sense 2.

2. so excited, anxious, or deeply moved that you seem unable to speak, move, or bre

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

so excited, anxious, or deeply moved that you seem unable to speak, move, or breathe normally for a moment.

Example

The crowd fell breathless as the final dancer stepped onto the stage.

formal description in a tense moment

Nadia waited breathless outside the exam room for her name.

Common collocations
  • breathless with excitement
  • breathless with fear
  • wait breathless
  • listen breathless
Synonyms
  • awed

    focuses on wonder or respect more than general excitement or fear

  • spellbound

    suggests total attention, often while watching or listening

  • agitated

    more about nervous movement or worry than hushed intensity

Antonyms
  • calm

    shows emotional control rather than tense excitement

  • unmoved

    suggests little or no emotional reaction

Grammar Patterns

be breathless with excitement / fear / surprise

wait / listen breathless

Usage Note

Usually found in literary or dramatic descriptions, often with 'with + emotion noun' or after verbs like 'wait' and 'listen'. Distinguish from sense 1, which is physical, not emotional.

Common Mistakes

The class was breathless after running two miles.
The class was out of breath after running two miles.
this sense is emotional; use sense 1 for exercise or smoke.

3. having no breeze and very little fresh air, so the place feels closed, hot, or h

3.adjectiveC2
Definition

having no breeze and very little fresh air, so the place feels closed, hot, or heavy.

Example

By noon, the tent felt breathless under the hot summer sun.

describes a place with still air

Noa opened every window, but the room stayed breathless.

Common collocations
  • breathless room
  • breathless evening
  • breathless air
  • breathless heat
Synonyms
  • airless

    close in meaning, but more neutral and less literary

  • stuffy

    common everyday word for a room with unpleasant air

  • still

    describes lack of movement, but not always the heavy uncomfortable feeling

Antonyms
  • breezy

    suggests pleasant moving air

  • windy

    means strong moving air, often outdoors

Grammar Patterns

a breathless room / evening / tent

the air feels breathless

Usage Note

Mostly literary and usually applied to air, rooms, evenings, or weather. Unlike sense 1, it describes the condition of a place, not a person's breathing.

Common Mistakes

The beach was breathless and cool.
The beach was breezy and cool.
this sense suggests still air, often with heat or closeness, not refreshing wind.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For sense 1, breathless is a general word for struggling to get enough air, whether the cause is exercise, smoke, shock, or illness. Out of breath is the most everyday choice and is especially common after walking, running, or climbing stairs. Winded is more informal and often suggests a sudden loss of air after effort or after being hit. Gasping is stronger and more dramatic, showing quick, desperate breaths. Short of breath is common in health talk and can describe an ongoing physical problem, not just a brief moment. You can say 'Priya was out of breath after the hill,' but 'The smoke left everyone breathless' sounds more vivid.

out of breath ↗windedgaspingshort of breath

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • almost breathless
  • quite breathless

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Breathless was formed in English from breath and the suffix -less, which means 'without' or 'lacking'. It first described someone with no breath or too little air, and later came to be used for strong emotion and for still, airless weather or rooms.