can't breathe
Airway completely blocked
Can't breathe expresses inability to get air—from physical causes like asthma or choking, or from overwhelming emotion: I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.
The phrase gained political weight after Eric Garner's 2014 death, when "I can't breathe" became a protest slogan against police brutality.
I can't breathe in this heat.
- suffocatingDepriving of air
- gaspingBreathing in sharp gulps
- chokingBlocked airway condition
- airlessHaving no atmosphere
- smotheringDepriving of air
gasping for air · drowning · panic · panic attack · asthma · inhaler · wheeze · chest · chest tightness · tight · oxygen · hyperventilate · struggle · claustrophobic · lungs · strangled · desperate · George Floyd
- oppressivestifling, suffocating, smothering, crushing, repressive
can't breathebreathe freely
Feel relief, unobstructed
breathe easy · deep breath · take a breath · respire · lung capacity
can't breatherelaxed
Free of stress
at ease · breathe easy · comfortable · unrestricted · loose
can't breathebreathe easy
Feel relief from stress
sigh of relief · at peace · calm · serene · unburdened
can't, cannot, breath, breathe, breaths, breathing, breathed, breather, breathless