Hyperventilate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Hyperventilate means to breathe rapidly and deeply, often due to anxiety or panic. This can lead to dizziness, tingling, or fainting as oxygen and carbon dioxide levels become unbalanced.
Definition:
To breathe rapidly and deeply, often due to anxiety or panic, disrupting oxygen and carbon dioxide balance.
Synonyms:
overbreathe, gasp, pant, breathe heavily
Part of Speech:
verb
Antonyms:
underbreathe, hold breath
Common Collocations:
panic attack, anxiety disorder, stress response
Derivatives:
hyperventilation, hyperventilating
Usage Tips:
Use "hyperventilate" to describe rapid breathing caused by stress; avoid using it for normal heavy breathing after exercise.
Common Phrases:
hyperventilate from fear, hyperventilate under pressure, hyperventilate during a panic attack
Etymology:
From Greek "hyper-" (over) + Latin "ventilare" (to fan or blow), meaning excessive breathing.
Examples:
- 1. She started to hyperventilate when she saw the spider.
- 2. If you hyperventilate, try breathing into a paper bag to calm down.
- 3. He tends to hyperventilate during stressful exams.
- 4. The doctor explained why people hyperventilate during panic attacks.