stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap 

often attributive

: something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift

stopgap measures

Synonyms of stopgap

• substitute
• makeshift
• backup

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

Senate Democrats Thursday blocked a Republican stopgap spending plan that would have extended funding without any reforms, setting the stage for a shutdown at midnight Saturday. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026

If the Panthers sign a stopgap tackle in free agency, Crownover could be worth drafting as the future successor to Ekwonu or Taylor Moton. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the length of a stopgap bill depends on what Democrats agree to. —Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026

Republicans later backed down, passing another stopgap without the voting measures. —Emily Brooks, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stopgap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap

Kids Definition

stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap 

: something that fills a gap : a temporary substitute