To cause someone to feel amazed, overwhelmed, or deeply moved, often by beauty or surprise. To astonish or astound someone completely.
This romantic expression dates to the 16th century, originally describing the physical effect of sudden shock or wonder that literally made breathing difficult. The phrase gained massive popularity after the 1986 movie 'Top Gun' featured the hit song 'Take My Breath Away,' cementing its place in modern romantic vocabulary.
The phrase beautifully captures how intense emotions can actually affect our breathing patterns—when we're truly amazed, we often do gasp or hold our breath unconsciously. It's one of the few expressions that accurately describes a real physiological response to overwhelming beauty or emotion, making it both poetic and scientifically sound.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.