gasp

1 of 2

verb

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 2

noun

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

In the next hour Lemieux drew gasps from the crowd half a dozen more times …

—E. M. Swift

Synonyms of gasp

Verb

• pant
• heave
• hyperventilate

Examples 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

Verb

Eventually the curtain was closed again and the microphone in the room was turned off, but Pike could still be heard making gasping or snoring sounds. — Rebecca Boone, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air during the night, and waking up feeling tired. — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 27 Sep. 2026

Noun

There's a tricky tonal balance in treating the lawyers' gasp-inducing ruthlessness as entertaining and even amusing while also allowing its consequences to be clear. — Linda Holmes, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026

The gasp-inducing scale and intricate stonework of Borobudur have attracted numerous global figures over the years. — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

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

• last-gasp
• last-gasp goal

Rhymes for gasp

• asp
• clasp
• grasp
• rasp

Kids Definition

gasp

verb

ˈgasp 

1

: to draw in a breath sharply (as with shock)

2

: to breathe with difficulty : pant

3

: to utter with quick difficult breaths

gasp noun