as in staring
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in wide
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaping
David Pogue, CBS News, 30 June 2024
While fentanyl can easily cause a deadly overdose, the addition of xylazine further slows breathing and can result in painful, gaping and disfiguring wounds on the user's body.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 11 July 2023
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 gaping
Verb
And that is just a gaping fundamental hole with the entire structure.
—David Pogue, CBS News, 30 June 2024
While fentanyl can easily cause a deadly overdose, the addition of xylazine further slows breathing and can result in painful, gaping and disfiguring wounds on the user's body.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 11 July 2023
Adjective
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 gaping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaping
Verb
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In a brief video snippet accompanying the post, Cyrus is seen in close-up staring directly into the camera while wearing what looks like surgical gauze around her chin and head as more white material is blown by a breeze around her face.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
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As her 3-year-old began moving and removing her hand from her face and staring across the restaurant, Ariana followed her daughter's eyes to see another man seated far away from them.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond this, the risks to personal and business privacy posed by the unpredictable way chatbots store and handle our data are challenges that wider society will need to address.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Chicblooms Wide-Calf Slouchy Suede Block-Heel Boots Available in 10 colors, these suede boots come in sizes 6–11 with extra wide calves for a comfortable fit.—
Emily Weaver,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Nunn has a divided audience, as the Baddies show is fueled with drama, with Jerry Springer style fights to keep viewers gawking.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Yet the shooting also divided the American public in ways that many found disturbing, including a yawning lack of empathy for the victim and even cheering for the shooter.—
Patrik Jonsson,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Dec. 2024
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In Palm Beach County, Ian's yawning reach spun up four tornadoes.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2023
Verb
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In February, the expectant mother shared several snaps from their engagement on Instagram, including a picture of them gazing in each other's eyes and one of Bowen putting her veil over Zuckerman's head.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
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Jämsén sees this series as being about gazing at the water, rather than being glued to a large screen or cocktail bar inside.—
Tristan Rutherford,
Robb Report,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And in the height of summer, with an extra air conditioner pumping in the corner, the heat from the semi-exposed kitchen can make the dining room feel slightly steamy.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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There’s a good amount of pedaling and a few exposed, high-stakes areas.—
Shauna Farnell,
Denver Post,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaping. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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