with bated breath
idiom
: in a nervous and excited state anticipating what will happen
They waited for the answer on their application with bated breath.
Examples of with bated breath in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Atlanta’s political leaders watch with bated breath every year when state lawmakers descend on Georgia’s Capitol for the 40-day legislative session.
—
Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Importers aren’t the only ones waiting with bated breath on a decision.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2026
But Barkov will not be able to play, and now an entire nation waits with bated breath to find out if Landeskog will be available or not.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Outlander fans aren't the only ones waiting with bated breath to learn how the time-hopping romance series will end.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“With bated breath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/with%20bated%20breath. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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