gape 1 of 2

Definition of gapenext

gape

2 of 2

verb

as in to stare
to look long and hard in wonder or surprise she suddenly realized she had been gaping at the good-looking waiter instead of giving him her order

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 gape
Noun
Many bird species young have this gape so the parents can more easily direct food into their mouths. Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025 For instance, that toothy gape up front is corralled by a goatee of nearly 200 digital light whiskers. New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
The footage shows the fish start to swim faster and more erratically when a large whale suddenly breaks through the school of fish with its gaping maw. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026 Some buildings were left with walls gaping open. Regina Garcia Cano, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape
Noun
  • His unbroken stare into the camera appears to look for reason and fairness that too often didn't exist in 1956.
    J.D. Miles, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Such a story may not fit as easily with the narrative imposed from without — with the scores of fans and free-speech advocates who see in Rushdie a kind of aspirational stare-down of danger.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • If gawking at celebrities is your thing.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Passersby continued to gawk and gape as screams for the finale continued inside.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The sun won’t rise before seven thirty, Camilla thought, as her gaze drifted bitterly over the nearby rooftops and domed churches in the distance.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
  • There’s probably an essay to be written here about the male gaze versus the female gaze in fiction (despite the female author partnering with Patterson).
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Police described Watson as 6-foot-1 and weighing 227 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The youngest Alford brother, however, opened some eyes.
    Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

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