Heart pounded, breath quickened, fear gripped.

Meaning: The person's heart was beating fast, they were breathing quickly, and they were feeling scared.

Choice of Words: A heart is an organ that pumps blood throughout the body. Pounded means to beat rapidly or loudly. Breath is the air that is inhaled and exhaled by a living creature. Quickened means to become faster. Fear is an emotion that is caused by the anticipation of danger.

Alternative Expressions

Her heart raced, her breath came in gasps, terror held her captive.

Meaning: This sentence conveys a stronger sense of fear and urgency than the previous one. It's like saying, Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, she was gasping for air, and she felt like she was being held prisoner by her terror.

Choice of Words: Raced is a more intense word than pounded, suggesting that the heart is beating very fast and uncontrollably. Gasps are short, sharp breaths, often taken when someone is shocked or scared. Terror is a more extreme form of fear, often associated with a specific threat or danger. Held is similar to gripped, but it implies a sense of being trapped or unable to escape. Captive means someone who is held prisoner or under someone else's control.

Fear surged through her like a tidal wave, suffocating her with its icy grip.

Meaning: This sentence uses figurative language to describe the way fear can feel like a powerful force that takes over someone and makes it hard to breathe. It's like saying, Fear washed over her like a huge wave, drowning her in its icy grip and making it hard for her to breathe.

Choice of Words: Surged means to rise or flow suddenly and with great force. Tidal wave is a large, powerful wave that can cause destruction. Suffocating means to prevent someone from breathing properly. Icy suggests something that is cold and sharp. Grip refers to the way something holds or controls something else. When you put all these words together, you get a sense of the overwhelming and suffocating nature of fear.

Related Expressions