as in wide
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gaping
Vogue, 19 July 2024
And that is just a gaping fundamental hole with the entire structure.
—David Pogue, CBS News, 30 June 2024
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Texas’ best player Dailyn Swain pulled down 11 rebounds, but was saddled with foul trouble as well and didn’t score in the second half, leaving a gaping hole in the scoring department.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gaping
Adjective
If the absence of Succession has left a dark and gaping hole in your heart, formerly filled by the epic, desperate machinations of the one-percent: tune in.
—Vogue, 19 July 2024
And that is just a gaping fundamental hole with the entire structure.
—David Pogue, CBS News, 30 June 2024
Verb
If the San Diego County Water Authority eventually reaches deals with other agencies, the amount of water sold will be small compared to the gaping water shortfall that is pushing reservoir levels lower along the Colorado River.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Texas’ best player Dailyn Swain pulled down 11 rebounds, but was saddled with foul trouble as well and didn’t score in the second half, leaving a gaping hole in the scoring department.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gaping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaping
Adjective
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Their clash can show you how to bridge daily facts with wider beliefs without losing nuance.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Mar. 2026
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Those employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution, described being asked a wide range of questions about government contracts and campaign donations.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Jen remains utterly unmoved, staring impassively as Whitney, who seems truly blindsided, starts to lose her mind a little bit.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
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Beyond the relatable thought of two of the best golfers in the world staring at their closets, wondering what to put on before a tee time, there’s a lot of earnings potential coming out of Fleetwood’s and Thomas’s situations.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As such, anticipated spending cuts have not materialized and British Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announced tax hikes in her next Autumn Budget to fill a yawning fiscal hole that could be as much as £50 billion ($67.2 billion), although estimates vary.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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On a typical day, the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale reverberates with animal cries and the footfalls of gawking visitors.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Armed soldiers patrolled in droves, spreading hate and fear everywhere, blindfolding children, pointing guns, gawking, spitting, laughing at us like animals in the zoo.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hoary vervain is a drought tolerant perennial perfect for hot, exposed sites.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
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An exposed décolletage keeps the silhouette from being basic while keeping it classy.—
Collette Grimes,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The images, which were taken in 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa, show Dion lounging on her back, gazing off into the distance, and enjoying the sun.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
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And after a long day of trekking, there’s nothing so restorative as a dip in the opulent bathtub, fringed by bricks of pink salt from Pakistan, while gazing out at the Nilgiri glowing ethereally in the dusk.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaping. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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