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
Give someone these Santa Maria Novella Melograno Bath Salts, tell them the history, and watch as their mouths gape in surprise. Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026 At times, the actor feels more like a design element, akin to the marble coffins and gape-mouthed friezes of this gothic world. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
Hernandez looks out the gaping hole that was the emergency room entrance. Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026 The gaping hole in the side of Hope’s real estate office is his first clue. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for gape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape
Noun
  • Brith stares, dazed, nonplussed.
    Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • Stood frozen to the backdrop of unrestrained exultation, Cholowsky — the presumptive top pick in July’s MLB Draft — gazed over the boy’s shoulder with a thousand-yard stare.
    Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • The Luce’s quiet-luxury design will also please those browsing Ferrari’s new fashion stores to make a purchase and not just gawk at the prices.
    Alistair Charlton, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
  • This seemingly reflexive action of whipping out their phones while gawking and filming isn’t a novel occurrence.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • Just as various characters in Pine Valley might get front-burner stories for weeks at a time, so too did the Vulgate shift its gaze from one character to another.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Marilyn Monroe through the female gaze Marilyn Monroe would have celebrated her 100th birthday this week.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.
    James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • Just outside the gates is One Tree Hill, a breezy bar and bird’s-eye Whitsundays viewpoint.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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