Gasp
verb
To breathe in suddenly and loudly due to shock or surprise.
She gasped in surprise when she saw the ghost.
Often appears as...
- gasp in surprise
- gasp for breath
noun
An act of gasping, a short breath taken in surprise or shock.
I heard a gasp from the audience when the magician disappeared.
Often appears as...
- a gasp of surprise
- hear a gasp
verb
To have difficulty breathing or catching one's breath.
He was gasping for breath after running the marathon.
Often appears as...
- gasp for air
- gasp for breath
verb
To breathe in suddenly and loudly due to shock or surprise.
She gasped in surprise when she saw the ghost.
Often appears as...
- gasp in surprise
- gasp for breath
noun
An act of gasping, a short breath taken in surprise or shock.
I heard a gasp from the audience when the magician disappeared.
Often appears as...
- a gasp of surprise
- hear a gasp
verb
To have difficulty breathing or catching one's breath.
He was gasping for breath after running the marathon.
Often appears as...
- gasp for air
- gasp for breath
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Use 'gasp' to express a strong emotional reaction, not just any surprise.
She gasped as the winner's name was announced, disbelief etched on her face.
Pro Tip 2/3Sudden Surprise
'Gasp' is often used when the surprise or shock is immediate and unexpected.
During the horror movie, viewers gasped at the sudden appearance of the monster.
Pro Tip 3/3Quiet Contexts
A gasp can be especially noticeable in a quiet or tense situation.
The courtroom gasped in unison, hanging on the lawyer's revelation.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Use 'gasp' to express a strong emotional reaction, not just any surprise.
She gasped as the winner's name was announced, disbelief etched on her face.
Pro Tip 2/3Sudden Surprise
'Gasp' is often used when the surprise or shock is immediate and unexpected.
During the horror movie, viewers gasped at the sudden appearance of the monster.
Pro Tip 3/3Quiet Contexts
A gasp can be especially noticeable in a quiet or tense situation.
The courtroom gasped in unison, hanging on the lawyer's revelation.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Use 'gasp' to express a strong emotional reaction, not just any surprise.
She gasped as the winner's name was announced, disbelief etched on her face.
Pro Tip 2/3Sudden Surprise
'Gasp' is often used when the surprise or shock is immediate and unexpected.
During the horror movie, viewers gasped at the sudden appearance of the monster.
Pro Tip 3/3Quiet Contexts
A gasp can be especially noticeable in a quiet or tense situation.
The courtroom gasped in unison, hanging on the lawyer's revelation.
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Video examples
Rescuing Penguin Chicks...
You see the adults first kind of going to the water cooling themselves down, But the chicks can't go. They're not waterproof yet and they start kind of panting, opening their beaks, gasping for air. They're trying to find shady spots, but a lot of these colonies don't have really any shade and you're pretty helpless.
Video examples
Greg Long: Big Wave...
And they began readying themselves to give me CPR, but first they are checking my vitals to see if there's any signs of life. And, as they're getting ready to start CPR and hopefully to bring me back, I let out the most feeble gasp for air. All the while, there is just water and foam and blood coming out of my mouth,
Video examples
Watch the Total Solar...
helping to host that but we were talking last night about how he's gonna film it and he wants to film it with the noise so he can hear people's gasps and reactions yes okay so I just realized you that Brenda I didn't we didn't fully answer your question what effect if any will the Eclipse have on Earth's tides I
Video examples
The transformative power...
I moved his body while he was playing. And suddenly, the music took off. It took flight. The audience gasped when they heard the difference. Then I got a letter from this gentleman. He said, "I was so moved. I went back and I transformed my entire company into a one-buttock company."
Video examples
Lewis Pugh's mind-shiftin...
And it all happened so I then -- I don't know how it happened -- but I went underwater. And luckily, the water was quite shallow, and I was able to push myself off the bottom of the lake and get up and then take another gasp of air. And then I said, carry on. Carry on. Carry on.
Video examples
Protecting the ocean for...
over again for something that gives me life I am a father to three fisherman sons what will become of them fish stocks will continue to drop we must protect our resources for generations to come and thus that became the root of our tagline well I'm goin Karen gasps a sack
Video examples
The terrors of sleep...
That makes you gasp for air, but you can't because REM atonia has removed control of your breath. This struggle for air while your body sleeps creates a perceived sensation of pressure on the chest or suffocation. While a few people experience sleep paralysis regularly
Video examples
Lewis Pugh swims the...
So we stopped the ship, as you do. We all got down onto the ice, and I then got into my swimming costume and I dived into the sea. I have never in my life felt anything like that moment. I could barely breathe. I was gasping for air.
Video examples
Part Ape, Part Human:...
the signal marker when I walked into that I was truly staggered in this next slide don't gasp yes I know it's exciting isn't it there was a little hole in the ground two and a half meters wide two meters deep and that is highly
Video examples
Rob Hopkins: Transition...
And it's something so astounding and so astonishing that I think maybe as I remove this cloth a suitable gasp of amazement might be appropriate. If you could help me with that it would be fantastic.
Video examples
Rescuing Penguin Chicks...
You see the adults first kind of going to the water cooling themselves down, But the chicks can't go. They're not waterproof yet and they start kind of panting, opening their beaks, gasping for air. They're trying to find shady spots, but a lot of these colonies don't have really any shade and you're pretty helpless.
Video examples
Greg Long: Big Wave...
And they began readying themselves to give me CPR, but first they are checking my vitals to see if there's any signs of life. And, as they're getting ready to start CPR and hopefully to bring me back, I let out the most feeble gasp for air. All the while, there is just water and foam and blood coming out of my mouth,
Video examples
Watch the Total Solar...
helping to host that but we were talking last night about how he's gonna film it and he wants to film it with the noise so he can hear people's gasps and reactions yes okay so I just realized you that Brenda I didn't we didn't fully answer your question what effect if any will the Eclipse have on Earth's tides I
Video examples
The transformative power...
I moved his body while he was playing. And suddenly, the music took off. It took flight. The audience gasped when they heard the difference. Then I got a letter from this gentleman. He said, "I was so moved. I went back and I transformed my entire company into a one-buttock company."
Video examples
Lewis Pugh's mind-shiftin...
And it all happened so I then -- I don't know how it happened -- but I went underwater. And luckily, the water was quite shallow, and I was able to push myself off the bottom of the lake and get up and then take another gasp of air. And then I said, carry on. Carry on. Carry on.
Video examples
Protecting the ocean for...
over again for something that gives me life I am a father to three fisherman sons what will become of them fish stocks will continue to drop we must protect our resources for generations to come and thus that became the root of our tagline well I'm goin Karen gasps a sack
Video examples
The terrors of sleep...
That makes you gasp for air, but you can't because REM atonia has removed control of your breath. This struggle for air while your body sleeps creates a perceived sensation of pressure on the chest or suffocation. While a few people experience sleep paralysis regularly
Video examples
Lewis Pugh swims the...
So we stopped the ship, as you do. We all got down onto the ice, and I then got into my swimming costume and I dived into the sea. I have never in my life felt anything like that moment. I could barely breathe. I was gasping for air.
Video examples
Part Ape, Part Human:...
the signal marker when I walked into that I was truly staggered in this next slide don't gasp yes I know it's exciting isn't it there was a little hole in the ground two and a half meters wide two meters deep and that is highly
Video examples
Rob Hopkins: Transition...
And it's something so astounding and so astonishing that I think maybe as I remove this cloth a suitable gasp of amazement might be appropriate. If you could help me with that it would be fantastic.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
David Baddiel
English Comedian
When you get older, you are told constantly that you should be there for your parents' deaths, otherwise you will regret it. But what we are not prepared for is a sudden, brutal death that you are there for, with medical people shouting and things bleeping and your parent gasping for breath.
Quote examples
Naomi Alderman
English Novelist
The truth is, none of us is OK, not really. The best, most dear, most thoughtful and engaged and open and feminist men in my life have occasionally come out with some statement that's made me gasp. Then again, so have almost all the women.
Quote examples
Rocky Carroll
American Actor
There are always going to be hospital dramas because if you're sitting in an emergency room for two hours, I guarantee you you are going to see something that makes you gasp. That's where drama comes from.
Quote examples
Sheryl Sandberg
American Businesswoman
I love how when I say the world is still run by men, and sometimes I say the world is still run by white men, people gasp as if that's news. That's not news. That's obvious.
Quote examples
Richard Corliss
American Writer
To transport picturegoers to a unique place in the glare of the earth, in the darkness of the heart - this, you realize with a gasp of joy, is what movies can do.
Quote examples
Jess Phillips
British Politician
When you're left on the floor of a hospital gasping for breath, or you can't get your kid a school place, the simplest things are your idea of radical.
Quote examples
Sarah Dessen
American Writer
I love writing about the summer between high school and college. It's the last gasp of really being a teen.
Quote examples
Kiefer Sutherland
Canadian Actor
I'm always jumping in my seat or gasping during a good horror movie.
Quote examples
Danny Meyer
American Businessman
I gasp for air if I don't get to breathe Italian air once a year.
Quote examples
Mariska Hargitay
American Actress
I want to be a fun mom. Not a gasping for air mom.
Quote examples
David Baddiel
English Comedian
When you get older, you are told constantly that you should be there for your parents' deaths, otherwise you will regret it. But what we are not prepared for is a sudden, brutal death that you are there for, with medical people shouting and things bleeping and your parent gasping for breath.
Quote examples
Naomi Alderman
English Novelist
The truth is, none of us is OK, not really. The best, most dear, most thoughtful and engaged and open and feminist men in my life have occasionally come out with some statement that's made me gasp. Then again, so have almost all the women.
Quote examples
Rocky Carroll
American Actor
There are always going to be hospital dramas because if you're sitting in an emergency room for two hours, I guarantee you you are going to see something that makes you gasp. That's where drama comes from.
Quote examples
Sheryl Sandberg
American Businesswoman
I love how when I say the world is still run by men, and sometimes I say the world is still run by white men, people gasp as if that's news. That's not news. That's obvious.
Quote examples
Richard Corliss
American Writer
To transport picturegoers to a unique place in the glare of the earth, in the darkness of the heart - this, you realize with a gasp of joy, is what movies can do.
Quote examples
Jess Phillips
British Politician
When you're left on the floor of a hospital gasping for breath, or you can't get your kid a school place, the simplest things are your idea of radical.
Quote examples
Sarah Dessen
American Writer
I love writing about the summer between high school and college. It's the last gasp of really being a teen.
Quote examples
Kiefer Sutherland
Canadian Actor
I'm always jumping in my seat or gasping during a good horror movie.
Quote examples
Danny Meyer
American Businessman
I gasp for air if I don't get to breathe Italian air once a year.
Quote examples
Mariska Hargitay
American Actress
I want to be a fun mom. Not a gasping for air mom.
Example 1 of 10
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