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

The Las Vegas Bowl bore a striking resemblance to its bookend back in September, down to the breathtaking finish, as USC once again fought through a fourth-quarter deficit to earn a statement-making win. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024

At night, this land between the Kerry Mountains and Atlantic Ocean offers a breathtaking dark and starry sky undisturbed by the nine inhabited villages within its perimeter. —Nile Cappello, AFAR Media, 27 Dec. 2024

The wild rapids take you under the towering peaks of the Julian Alps, some of Europe's most breathtaking scenery. —Rachael Mendizabal, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2024

My favorite moment was capturing the eclipse, a rare and breathtaking event that brought many people together. —Cara Owsley, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 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