Short of breath is a condition in which a person experiences difficulty breathing. WINDED, a six-letter solution to the crossword, is a term used to describe the feeling of being out of breath after physical exertion. Agasp, a five-letter solution to the crossword, is a term used to describe a sudden, sharp intake of breath due to shock or surprise. Both terms are related to shortness of breath, but they are not interchangeable.