breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: causing one to breathe rapidly or with difficulty : making one out of breath

a breathtaking pain in her side

2

a

: exciting, thrilling

a breathtaking race

b

: very great : astonishing

his breathtaking ignorance

breathtakingly

ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• charged
• electric
• electrifying
• exciting
• exhilarating
• exhilarative
• galvanic
• galvanizing
• hair-raising
• heart-stopping
• inspiring
• intoxicating
• kicky
• mind-bending
• mind-blowing
• mind-boggling
• rip-roaring
• rousing
• stimulating
• stirring
• thrilling

Examples of breathtaking in a Sentence

The train raced past with breathtaking speed.

They gave a breathtaking performance.

The view of the mountains was breathtaking.

a scene of breathtaking beauty

The scope of the error is breathtaking.

Recent Examples on the Web

That despite Ohio's abundance of national parks access, several standout restaurants serving up mouth-watering cuisine and breathtaking waterfalls that are dotted across its diverse landscape. —Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024

Add these five breathtaking destinations to your travel bucket list. —David Walters, Peoplemag, 19 June 2024

Stripping away all artifice, RuPaul recounts the story of his life with breathtaking clarity and tenderness, bringing his signature wisdom and wit to his own biography. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 17 June 2024

Seasoned guides will also take you to the largest ice sheet outside Antarctica to see the breathtaking glaciers, while wildlife experts can show you some of the incredible native animals. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ 

1

: making one out of breath

breathtaking speed

2

: exciting, thrilling

breathtaking beauty

breathtakingly

-kiŋ-lē 

adverb