breathtaking

adjective

breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ How to pronounce breathtaking (audio)
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 adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An El Dorado Hills home that nearly set a residential sales record at $7 million is no longer on the market, but a new opportunity awaits just two miles away with an even more breathtaking view of Folsom Lake — at a fraction of the price. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 27 Jan. 2025 Some purists see voice-over as a crutch, but this feels like an excellent example of that technique done right, adding depth that Edgerton’s largely wordless performance and the breathtaking cinematography could not achieve without it. Peter Debruge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025 The six-year-old, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and beautifully guided by the incomparable Irad Ortiz Jr, blew past pacesetter Saudi Crown and favorite Locked to snatch the victor’s share of the $3-million 2025 Pegasus pot by a breathtaking six-and-a-half lengths. Guy Martin, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2025 Known for its distinct wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, Australia often appears on bucket lists of must-see destinations. Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for breathtaking 

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of breathtaking was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near breathtaking

Cite this Entry

“Breathtaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breathtaking. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

breathtaking

adjective
breath·​tak·​ing ˈbreth-ˌtā-kiŋ How to pronounce breathtaking (audio)
1
: making one out of breath
breathtaking speed
2
: exciting, thrilling
breathtaking beauty
breathtakingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on breathtaking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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