breathless
gb/bɹˈɛθləs/ us/bɹˈɛθləs/
B1
English
~ 5700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
unable to breathe easily
Not able to breathe well, often after running, climbing, or because of sickness or strong feelings.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is breathless after/from [activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'breathless' with 'breathtaking'. 'Breathless' means having trouble breathing; 'breathtaking' means very beautiful or impressive. Learners may also say '*I am very breath*' instead of 'I am out of breath' or 'I am breathless'.
Synonyms
out of breath (Very common informal phrase, slightly more conversational than 'breathless'.)
|
short of breath (Often used in medical or health contexts, slightly more technical.)
Antonyms
breathing easily (Describes the normal, comfortable breathing that is missing when someone is breathless.)
Collocations
be breathless
|feel breathless
|be left breathless
|become breathless
|breathless from running
|breathless after a climb
Themes
health
|daily life
|sports
|body
Examples
- She was breathless after running to catch the bus.
- He arrived at the top of the stairs, breathless and sweating.
- The long hike left us completely breathless.
- The nurse asked if he felt breathless when he walked.
- I was so breathless from the sprint that I could barely speak.
Learner examples
- She is breathless after the fast run.
- He feels breathless when he climbs the hill.
- The game was hard, and I am breathless now.
- My grandfather gets breathless when he walks quickly.
- After two floors of stairs, we were all breathless.
adjective
B2
property
2
extremely excited or anxious
So excited or nervous that you almost stop breathing or feel you cannot breathe normally.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is breathless with [emotion]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is always physical (after exercise). In phrases like 'breathless with excitement' or 'a breathless silence', the word mainly describes strong feelings or suspense, not exercise. Do not say '*breathless of excitement*'; use 'breathless with excitement'.
Synonyms
tense (Focuses on nervous excitement or anxiety, not specifically on breathing.)
|
agog (Informal and slightly literary; emphasizes eager excitement more than physical feeling.)
Antonyms
calm (Suggests relaxed feelings and steady breathing, the opposite of breathless excitement or suspense.)
Collocations
breathless with excitement
|breathless with anticipation
|breathless with fear
|a breathless silence
|a breathless audience
Themes
emotions
|entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The children waited, breathless with excitement, for the show to start.
- There was a breathless silence as the jury returned to the courtroom.
- She listened in breathless suspense to the final minutes of the match.
- The audience was breathless with anticipation before the big reveal.
- He told the story in a breathless voice, still full of shock.
Learner examples
- The kids were breathless with excitement before the trip.
- We sat in breathless silence during the scary part of the movie.
- She watched the race, breathless with fear for her friend.
- The room was breathless with anticipation before they read the winner's name.
- I listened in a breathless way as he told his story.
adjective
C1
property
3
very fast and without pauses
Very fast and with no real breaks, making it hard to follow or keep up.
Usage pattern:
a breathless [pace/story/chase]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the physical sense and think it always means someone cannot breathe. In phrases like 'a breathless pace' or 'breathless prose', it describes speed and lack of pauses, not actual breathing problems.
Synonyms
frantic (Suggests wild, rushed activity with stress; 'breathless' can be more neutral or exciting.)
|
breakneck (Emphasizes extreme speed and danger more strongly than 'breathless'.)
Antonyms
leisurely (Describes something done slowly and with plenty of time, the opposite of a breathless pace.)
Collocations
a breathless pace
|breathless prose
|a breathless chase
|breathless action
|a breathless narrative
Themes
media
|movement
|writing
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The movie moves at a breathless pace from start to finish.
- She told the story in a breathless rush, barely stopping for air.
- The novel is full of breathless action and sudden twists.
- We followed the team in a breathless chase through the city streets.
- The reporter's breathless account made the event sound more dramatic than it really was.
Learner examples
- The film has a breathless pace, and many things happen quickly.
- He gave a breathless report of the game, speaking very fast.
- The book is a breathless story with many fights and chases.
- They drove through town at a breathless speed.
- I do not like breathless action; I prefer slow stories.
Grammar
Dictionary form
breathless
IPA
GB/bɹˈɛθləs/
US/bɹˈɛθləs/
Syllables & stress
breath - less (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (breath)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: breathless
Word family
Negative and opposite forms
breathlessly
adverb
breathlessness
noun
Related words
breathable
adjective
breathtaking
adjective B2
Expressions
at a breathless pace
1/ˈæt ə bɹˈɛθləs pˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
moving very fast without breaks
Happening or moving very fast, with almost no breaks or pauses.
Examples
- The series continues at a breathless pace in the second season.
- They worked at a breathless pace to finish the project on time.
- The story moves at a breathless pace, never slowing down.
breathless silence
1/bɹˈɛθləs sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
literary
tense, complete silence
A very quiet situation where everyone is completely silent because they are afraid, shocked, or very excited.
Examples
- A breathless silence fell over the hall as the winner was announced.
- There was a breathless silence before the explosion.
- The room was filled with breathless silence as we waited for the verdict.
breathless with excitement
1/bɹˈɛθləs wˈɪθ ɪksˈaɪtmənt/
fixed phrase
extremely excited and hardly breathing
So excited that you feel you almost stop breathing or cannot breathe normally.
Examples
- The children were breathless with excitement as they opened their presents.
- She waited breathless with excitement for her name to be called.
- We stood breathless with excitement before the big concert began.
in a breathless voice
1/ˈɪn ə bɹˈɛθləs vˈɔɪs/
fixed phrase
speaking while short of breath
Speaking in a way that shows you are short of breath or very excited or afraid.
Examples
- She told me the news in a breathless voice.
- He answered in a breathless voice after running up the stairs.
- The child whispered in a breathless voice, scared to make a sound.
leave someone breathless
1/lˈiv sˈʌmwˌʌn bɹˈɛθləs/
fixed phrase
cause someone to be breathless
To make someone unable to breathe easily, because of hard exercise, strong surprise, or strong feelings.
Examples
- The final climb left us breathless and laughing at the top.
- Her beauty left him breathless for a moment.
- The surprise announcement left the crowd breathless with excitement.