stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap How to pronounce stopgap (audio)
often attributive
: something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift
stopgap measures
Choose the Right Synonym for stopgap

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply.

resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Examples of stopgap in a Sentence

The new law is intended only as a stopgap. the coach we have now was only hired as a stopgap until someone with more experience is found
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.
Even a one-year stopgap could prevent public transit cuts. Jackson Potter, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025 With 11 more appropriations bills to consider in the House, all dozen needing votes in the Senate, and a bipartisan, bicameral top-line agreement nowhere in sight, the prospect of Congress needing to pass a stopgap when the Sept. 30 deadline arrives is becoming more and more likely. Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 23 June 2025 With Congress expected to slash federal aid soon, and with the latest state budget employing stopgap measures to comply with caps, that debate likely will resume soon. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025 This stopgap measure was completed through personal efforts and with workers volunteering their time without pay. Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for stopgap

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stopgap was in 1684

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Cite this Entry

“Stopgap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stopgap. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

stopgap

noun
stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap How to pronounce stopgap (audio)
: something that fills a gap : a temporary substitute

More from Merriam-Webster on stopgap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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