gape 1 of 2

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
Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes were lucky enough to have a generational talent in their employ over the last couple of seasons, but now, Travis Hunter has departed for the NFL, leaving a gaping hole for Colorado on both sides of the ball. Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025 New from the ground up, with hybrid power and the promise of serious off-road capability, the 2026 Cherokee midsize SUV patches a gaping hole in the brand’s lineup. Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape
Noun
  • Coel, the boundary-pushing revelation from I May Destroy You, is a perfect foil, hiding Lori’s feelings behind her deadpan delivery, unblinking sphinx-like stare and wary body language but poised to shoot barbs when the moment calls for them.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • His sleepless stare has amused viewers, many of whom said the dog's face perfectly captured the feeling of trying to enjoy a holiday under less-than-ideal conditions.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But the cringe-comedy antics of the original NBC series landed far better in Season 3 than in Season 1, once audiences began to truly love the characters instead of just gawking at them.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Some viewers even took to hate-watching the show, tuning in every week just to gawk at the latest episodes’ cringeworthy moments.
    Andrew McGowan, Variety, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Deconstructing the male gaze is our main aim.
    Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Akerman said this allowed for collaboration that produced scenes that didn’t cater to the male gaze.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Even news that broke yesterday stateside — while unrelated to the central bank and interest rates — were focused on casting an eye to the future rather than immediate developments.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Keep an eye on October 19 as a possible date for that switch.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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