Breathtaking
/ˈbreθˌteɪkɪŋ/
adjectiveBeginner📊CommonGeneral
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
So beautiful or impressive as to be awe-inspiring.
/ˈbreθˌteɪkɪŋ/
adjectivepositiveBeginner
General
Extremely beautiful or impressive
The sunset was breathtaking.
💡 Simply: Extremely beautiful and amazing.
More Examples
2
The performance was absolutely breathtaking.
How It's Used
Tourism
"The view from the mountaintop was breathtaking."
Art
"Her painting was a breathtaking masterpiece."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
From 'breath' + 'taking', describing something so amazing it literally takes your breath away. The combination emerged in the late 19th century.
While the word's structure suggests an older origin, its widespread usage solidified in the late 19th and 20th centuries, correlating with increased travel and tourism.
Memory tip
Imagine your breath being taken away by the beauty.
Word Origin
Original meaning
"Literally, taking one's breath away due to amazement or beauty."
Base: breath
breathtaking scenerybreathtaking viewbreathtaking performance
Common misspellings
breath takingbreath-takingbrethtaking
Practice
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written