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

The withdrawal of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), first reported by Semafor on Thursday had already been slashed by 75%, leaving a $115 million stopgap until March 2026. —Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 June 2026

The bureau’s most recent projections, released Tuesday, show that the emergency measures taken this spring will only be a stopgap, unless extremely wet weather returns. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 June 2026

The risks and challenges of government AI use Broader reports on AI adoption in the government shows a slower adoption story, full of challenges and stopgaps. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 June 2026

In response, the Legislature passed a stopgap measure, including $31 million to restore cuts to ADAP through June 30, the end of the fiscal year. —Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 18 June 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