1
a
: a break in a barrier (such as a wall, hedge, or line of military defense)
b
: an assailable position
2
a
: a mountain pass
b
: ravine
3
4
a
: a separation in space
b
: an incomplete or deficient area
a gap in her knowledge
5
: a break in continuity : hiatus
6
: lack of balance : disparity
the gap between imports and exports
7
: a wide difference in character or attitude
the generation gap
8
: a problem caused by some disparity
a communication gap
credibility gap
gapped; gapping
1
: to make an opening in
2
: to adjust the space between the electrodes of (a spark plug)
: to fall or stand open
Examples of gap in a Sentence
Noun
The child had a gap between her two front teeth.
The gap between the lead runner and the rest of the field continued to widen.
The sheep got through a gap in the fence.
There are unexplained gaps in his story.
The class filled in the gaps in my knowledge of biology.
She had taken several years off to raise a family, so there was a large gap in her work history.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Legislation that was recently passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives would address this gap.
—Jake Krilovich, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval.
—Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gap
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
From Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who are 12 years apart, to Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who share a 15-year difference, to Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson, whose three-decade gap has never slowed them down, these celebrity pairings have proven that age can sometimes just be a number.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026
Legislation that was recently passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives would address this gap.
—Jake Krilovich, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
Harvard nutrition professor Teresa Fung has noted that choosing lentils, beans or peas over animal protein is one of the most effective ways to fill the nutrient gaps American diets consistently show.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval.
—Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gap
Cite this Entry
“Gap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gap. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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