1
as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf
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2
as in abyss
an immeasurable depth or space
the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along
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3
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulf was too wide to cross, so we had to hike down into it and go through it
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4
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
a wide gulf in the defensive wall meant the city was in grave danger
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5
as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center
the doomed ship was sucked into the gulf and consigned to Davy Jones's locker
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as in to flood
to cover with a flood
with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of gulf
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
She and her friends have even been mocked by white gay men for asking for small favors like a free drink or space in the dinner line at a festival, despite the wide gulf in privilege and resources.
—Delilah Friedler, Them., 16 Sep. 2025
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Noun
And there is no greater gulf, perhaps, than the two days between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
She and her friends have even been mocked by white gay men for asking for small favors like a free drink or space in the dinner line at a festival, despite the wide gulf in privilege and resources.
—Delilah Friedler, Them., 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf
Noun
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Its 12,000-square-foot store will have higher ceilings, more gasoline fueling pumps, a two-bay drive-thru carwash, additional parking and a separate diesel fueling area, according to village documents.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The discovery came two weeks after a body was found in the wheel bay of a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These fishes also really highlight the diversity of snailfishes in the abyss.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Black Rabbit begins in media res, zooming out from a wallpaper full of rabbits — some mid-hop, others staring fearfully into the abyss with wide, dark pools for eyes.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The area has flat dirt trails for hikers and bikers, rock canyons and open grass fields.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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Located just north of Vanderpool, Texas, the park is known for its Uvalde bigtooth maples, a species that’s commonly referred to as either just the bigtooth maple or the canyon maple.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The federal government has either shut down or experienced funding gaps 14 times since 1980.—
Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Adding them to your diet may help fill nutrient gaps, boost overall wellness, and provide essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds without taking up much space on your plate.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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The National Weather Service said many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The president responded by calling a special session and flooding the assembly with armed troops.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Reaction to the Grand Blanc Township violence Statements of support, shock and encouragement quickly flooded social media.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The salt marshes and estuaries are a magnet for migratory birds, whose colorful plumage rivals the blaze of bold leaves.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
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From open ocean shallows where dolphins surf the waves to quiet estuaries perfect for teaching calves to hunt, Folly offers an ideal year-round playground.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the same way that eye lenses and corneas are composed of simplified tissues, many transparent ocean animals also fill much of their insides with gelatinous material or fluid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
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Trends observed include increases in hot extremes and extreme single-day precipitation events, declines in cold extremes, regional shifts in annual precipitation, warming of the Earth's oceans, a decrease in ocean pH, rising sea levels, and an increase in wildfire severity.—
Connor Giffin,
Louisville Courier Journal,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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