as in stared
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
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Recent Examples of gaped
Inside the old asylum, plaster peeled from mottled walls and holes gaped in the ceiling.
—
Jen Rose Smith, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Some stuffing gaped out of the rips on the back.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Jen Rose Smith, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Some stuffing gaped out of the rips on the back.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaped
Verb
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The two men, in their respective corners, stared each other down.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Both stared in my direction, looking surprised at the chance for free food out here.—
David Zeug,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Still, other Coppin State runners gawked at his broad chest, bulging biceps and thick quads.—
Tyler Jett,
Des Moines Register,
21 Jan. 2026
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They’re presented as endearing surprises of nature and life, celebrated rather than gawked at.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Accentuating her features with her signature brown smoky eyeshadow, matte mauve lipstick, and a pink flush on her cheekbones, Kylie puffed on a cigarette and gazed into the camera’s lens as the shot faded to black.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
28 Jan. 2026
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In another shot, Victoria gazed lovingly at David while the pair were also photographed with Romeo and Cruz, and their respective girlfriends, Kim Turnbull and Jackie Apostel.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaped. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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