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Glite Dictionary
breathlessly

breathlessly

13 4.0
In a way that shows you have little air because you feel excited, scared, or very tired
  • adverb
  • /ˈbrɛθləsli/
: sin aliento
  • Everybody waited breathlessly to see if a bunch of dead guys in a can would pop out the other side.

I spent the whole evening breathlessly watching John King and Steve Kornacki with their touch screens after dark.

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Examples

  • The U.S. media breathlessly proclaims that Mexico is on the brink.

    Academic text (2009)

  • "Can you teach me how?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes sparkling.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The American Enterprise Institute, too, has been waiting breathlessly for this moment.

    Academic text (2016)

  • The book, NASA said a bit breathlessly, is about...

  • If you see that cute guy downstairs, you tell him I'm up here waiting, breathlessly.

    Doom Asylum (1988)

  • I can call you and let you know how it goes," Jory said breathlessly.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • I spent the whole evening breathlessly watching John King and Steve Kornacki with their touch screens after dark.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • Once again in control of her vocal cords, Hallie answered breathlessly, "Thanks, Bill."

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Everyone is breathlessly awaiting... the arrival of Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood.

    Singin' in the Rain (1952)

  • She ran breathlessly to the finish line, thrilled at her time.

Synonyms

breathless with excitement
vsbreathlessly
1 4.6

You are so excited that you cannot breathe normally

is broader covering lack of breath from fear or exertion too
pantingly
vsbreathlessly
1 7.7

In a way that shows quick, heavy breathing from effort or excitement

is about inability to breathe normally rather than steady heavy breaths
gaspingly
vsbreathlessly
1 8.4

With short, quick breaths after hard exercise

is more general indicating lack of breath from several causes
windedly
vsbreathlessly
9.1

In a way that shows a person is breathing hard after effort or shock

is used for lack of breath from excitement fear or exertion

Antonyms

calmly
97 1.0

In a calm, steady way without showing anger or nervousness

How Breathless

gaspingly
1 8.4
breathlessly
13 4.0
excitedly
20 1.0
calmly
97 1.0

Surface Forms

breathlessly positive
breathlessly comparative
breathlessly superlative

Morphology

breathlessly = breathless (transparent) = breath + less + ly

The adverb is a regular -ly formation from 'breathless', which itself is transparently 'breath' + '-less'.

Etymology

The word breathlessly comes from three parts: breath (the 'air in your lungs'), -less ('without'), and -ly (which makes a word describe how something is done). So breathlessly literally means 'in a way without breath', and that is why we use it for people or actions with no breath because of excitement, fear, or hard effort.