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
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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
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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
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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
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5
as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center
the doomed ship was sucked into the gulf and consigned to Davy Jones's locker
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of gulf
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
She and her friends have even been mocked by white gay men for asking for small favors like a free drink or space in the dinner line at a festival, despite the wide gulf in privilege and resources.
—Delilah Friedler, Them., 16 Sep. 2025
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
And there is no greater gulf, perhaps, than the two days between the end of the regular season and the start of the postseason.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
She and her friends have even been mocked by white gay men for asking for small favors like a free drink or space in the dinner line at a festival, despite the wide gulf in privilege and resources.
—Delilah Friedler, Them., 16 Sep. 2025
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
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On the seventh floor, which houses 33 private infusion bays with TVs, a woodsy scent filled the air.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps there’s a haunting to be had in this injustice; perhaps these war dead, with the truth of their deaths hidden and covered up at the time, have left their own ghostly imprint upon the bay, drawing forth further inexplicable sights, sounds, and activity.—
Leanna Renee Hieber,
Big Think,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These fishes also really highlight the diversity of snailfishes in the abyss.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Black Rabbit begins in media res, zooming out from a wallpaper full of rabbits — some mid-hop, others staring fearfully into the abyss with wide, dark pools for eyes.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The area has flat dirt trails for hikers and bikers, rock canyons and open grass fields.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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Located just north of Vanderpool, Texas, the park is known for its Uvalde bigtooth maples, a species that’s commonly referred to as either just the bigtooth maple or the canyon maple.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The federal government has either shut down or experienced funding gaps 14 times since 1980.—
Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Adding them to your diet may help fill nutrient gaps, boost overall wellness, and provide essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds without taking up much space on your plate.—
Morgan Pearson,
Verywell Health,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This leads to her descent into a vicious vortex narrated with Greek tragedy tropes.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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In 1921 Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara theorized that two vortices spinning through fluid (which is exactly what tropical cyclones are) could come close enough to each other to begin orbiting a common central point.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The president responded by calling a special session and flooding the assembly with armed troops.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Reaction to the Grand Blanc Township violence Statements of support, shock and encouragement quickly flooded social media.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The salt marshes and estuaries are a magnet for migratory birds, whose colorful plumage rivals the blaze of bold leaves.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
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From open ocean shallows where dolphins surf the waves to quiet estuaries perfect for teaching calves to hunt, Folly offers an ideal year-round playground.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Prepping for this influx of shipments, the Port Authority along with its tenants—including the ocean carriers that own stakes and terminals in the port—made investments between 2021 and 2023 that included deepening channels to 50 feet and raising the Bayonne Bridge.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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