gasp for air
/ɡæsp fɔːr er/
Meaning
To inhale suddenly and sharply, usually through the mouth, because you are struggling to breathe. This can happen after intense exercise, being underwater, laughing too hard, or experiencing sudden shock or panic. It is a neutral, descriptive phrase used in both physical and occasionally metaphorical contexts.
Examples
-
He surfaced from the deep water and began to gasp for air.
He surfaced from the deep water and began to gasp for air.
-
The smoke in the room made everyone gasp for air as they ran outside.
The smoke in the room made everyone gasp for air as they ran outside.
-
She laughed so hard at his joke that she had to stop and gasp for air.
She laughed so hard at his joke that she had to stop and gasp for air.
-
After running up five flights of stairs, I was left to gasp for air.
After running up five flights of stairs, I was left to gasp for air.
-
The asthma attack left him struggling to gasp for air.
The asthma attack left him struggling to gasp for air.
Common Mistakes
-
✗ He came out of the water gasping air.
✓ He came out of the water gasping for air.
The verb 'gasp' requires the preposition 'for' when indicating the object of the struggle (air).
-
✗ I was breathing for air after the sprint.
✓ I was gasping for air after the sprint.
'Breathing' is a normal, automatic process. 'Gasping' implies a sudden, desperate struggle to get oxygen.
Related Expressions
Practice
-
The swimmer came up to the surface to ___.
💡 Inhale sharply after being underwater.
Show answer
gasp for air
-
We were laughing so much we had to ___.
💡 Struggle to breathe due to intense laughter.
Show answer
gasp for air