Word to describe a faint, feeble, and irregular sound?

Question

I'm looking for a word (adjective) to describe a sound that is very weak and coming in and out. It may also be used to describe a dying heartbeat that is inconstant and indicative of imminent death. I initially thought the word was "feathery," but Google tells me that's totally off base; I mention it, nonetheless, on the off chance that the two words are similar and it may better facilitate your recall of the right word. Also, I'm fairly certain the word ends in -y.

The word should fit the following sentence -

The soldier's breath was _____ as he lay bleeding, dying.

Answer 1

fitful

often stopping and starting and not happening in a regular or continuous way:

fitful breathing

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fitful

Answer 2

Faltering

From Oxford Languages,

losing strength or momentum. "his faltering career" speaking hesitantly. "she tells her plight in faltering tones"

moving unsteadily or hesitantly. "he is now all set to take his first faltering steps"

as it implies a sense of weakness as well…

“The soldier drew his last faltering breaths as he lay bleeding, dying.

Answer 3

I would say faint:

Low in volume or barely audible

• She heard a faint noise in the deckhead, like a distant flag flapping in the breeze. (WordHippo)

Since you specified that it must end in -y, I also thought weary might be appropriate in this context:

Feeling or showing extreme tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion (WordHippo)

As you can see from this Gngram, both faint breath and weary breath are used, but "faint prevails".

I found faint used in a text on this site:

All the colour had gone from his cheeks and his breath was faint.

As for weary I found that "to draw a weary breath" is more common than "his breath was weary". So you could say:

The soldier drew a weary breath/weary breaths as he lay bleeding out.

Answer 4

I woould like to correct you, it is in the past tense, so it is lay, not lie.

Try shuddering, or faint.

Shuddering

The soldier's breath was shuddering as he lay bleeding out.

Shuddering definition in Cambridge Dictionary.

Faint

The soldier's breath was faint as he lay bleeding out.

Faint meaning in the Cambridge Dictionary.

Answer 5

While feathery generally refers to physical form or texture, Cambridge gives one meaning of the word as "soft and delicate", and this does not necessarily refer to something which has a similar appearance to a feather.

Cambridge includes the example "The still centre of the piece was 'snowfall on ashes', as caressing, feathery string tremolo harmonics traced a patina of frost on which the soloist skated nervously." So it can be used (perhaps metaphorically) to refer to sound.

It is slightly an odd word to use to describe a dying man's breathing, because it has connotations of being tender, nice to the touch, and pleasant. But it could have a degree of irony - dying or dead people are often described as looking peaceful or at rest, and feathers have a similar connotation.

Answer 6

Waning, abating, or dwindling.