1
as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in abyss
an immeasurable depth or space
the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulf was too wide to cross, so we had to hike down into it and go through it
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
a wide gulf in the defensive wall meant the city was in grave danger
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to flood
to cover with a flood
with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of gulf
Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Now a gulf is growing between the phones on sale in the US and those available in the rest of the world.
—Dominic Preston, The Verge, 25 Apr. 2026
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Noun
Pearl Hotel greets guests with coastal charm and a warm aesthetic, plus a gulf view.
—Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Now a gulf is growing between the phones on sale in the US and those available in the rest of the world.
—Dominic Preston, The Verge, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf
Noun
-
While not directly on the beach, Hotel LBI, in Ship Bottom, sits between the bay and the ocean, and is another great pick for a rooftop pool with more modern amenities.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
-
Mission versatility Blitz is a modular platform which incorporates swappable modules located in its nose, backpack payload bay, wingtips and tail.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
According to sources, the contest in fact nearly tipped into the abyss with an additional half-dozen countries poised to pull out over the Israel inclusion.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
This whole Western Conference semifinal series against these defending champions has been a lose-lose proposition for the Lakers, who are now down 3-0 and staring into the elimination abyss in Game 4 on Monday.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Yeah, so from Arequipa, one of the most common places that a lot of people will go to start is up to the Colca Canyon and the Colca Canyon is this really deep canyon.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
The council also exempted from SB 79 areas that are close to a transit stop but violate the spirit of SB 79 because residents can’t walk to it easily because of barriers like canyons, freeways or a lack of sidewalks.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
In other words, there was a gap in the market.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
Amid this gap in oversight, Agan found two new jobs and remains in the classroom.—
Holly McDede,
ProPublica,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The duo rose to prominence together, even as the music sounded more and more like it was lost in a vortex.—
Miki Hellerbach,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Interestingly, supercomputer simulations revealed that a dolphin’s propulsion is driven by the formation of massive, powerful vortex rings.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Billions of dollars in private investment and federal dollars have flooded into the area in recent years, but many local businesses still express concerns about a lagging regional economy.—
Matt Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
Celebrations are sure to continue late into the night in Catalonia, and players and coaching staff flooded the pitch at the final whistle.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Biscayne Bay, the state of Florida's largest estuary, is an important habitat for various species of plants and wildlife.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
-
This park is located on the rolling hills of northern Contra Costa County, offering impressive views of giant ships and tugboats in the Carquinez Strait, part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Inside its aluminum alloy body and plastic top panel (which is made from waste recovered from the oceans) are four 5,000-mAh battery packs, for a total capacity of 20,000 mAh.—
Paul Ridden
May 12,
New Atlas,
12 May 2026
-
But the best cure is outside, on the decks, with the ocean and the wildlife and seabirds.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
