adj
breathless
BREHTH-luhs
adj
1
Unable to breathe easily, especially from exertion.
"She was breathless after sprinting up the stairs."
2
Filled with excitement or suspense, as if holding one's breath.
"The crowd watched in breathless anticipation."
3
Completely still, with no wind at all.
"It was a breathless summer evening, not a leaf stirring."
How to Use Breathless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOut of breath from effort, or figuratively caught up in excitement, or (less commonly) describing perfectly still air.
Common pairings
breathless anticipation
left breathless
Word Forms
more breathless comparative, most breathless superlative
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Etymology
From breath + the suffix -less ("without").