gap year

noun

: a one-year hiatus from academic studies to allow for nonacademic activities

Examples of gap year in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the notion of a gap year solely on that basis misses the point of any NBA season for each team. Tony East, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Having graduated high school at 16, and with two years of community college already under his belt, the California teenager wanted to take a gap year before starting higher education. Colson Thayer, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025 More than likely, the Celtics are entering a gap year. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025 Its all-new Vanlife camper van creates a new expression of that adventurous spirit aimed squarely at young, spontaneous neo-RVers looking to wring the most out of their free time, whether that time is an entire gap year on the road or weekends in the wild. New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gap year

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gap year was in 1978

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Cite this Entry

“Gap year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gap%20year. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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