gaping 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of gapingnext
as in wide

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Dissimilar Words

gaping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of gape
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

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 gaping
Adjective
Given that there is no witness to what happened, that leaves a very gaping hole in this investigation. — Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025 And that is just a gaping fundamental hole with the entire structure. — David Pogue, CBS News, 30 June 2024
Verb
The bay facing the western shore of Newfoundland is the mouth—the gaping estuary—of the Saint Lawrence, Newfoundland on the chart detached and apparently drifting out to sea. — Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026 His shirt is cut open during the video to reveal what appears to be a gaping gunshot wound in his back. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gaping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaping
  1. wide
  2. staring
  3. yawning
  4. gawking
  5. exposed
  6. gazing
Adjective
  • Days after losing the governor’s race by a wide margin, Republican Steve Hilton argued Thursday his campaign should serve as a template for future GOP tickets and hinted at a potential second run for governor.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The top looks so similar to the sweater Rory wore in the show’s very first episode, and the pants have a wide fit and stretchy waistband that will accommodate second helpings of dinner.
    — Natalie LaBarbera, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of wide
Verb
  • The first half of the film is on the dull side, featuring lots of footage of Fielder and Holmes staring at each other, unblinking, in an attempt to convince each other of their sincerity.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That’s no way to run a city, especially when a glaring safety problem is staring us in the face.
    — Frank Morano, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of staring
Adjective
  • 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
  • In Palm Beach County, Ian's yawning reach spun up four tornadoes.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2023
Definition of yawning
Verb
  • The film opens with Tenzing as a boy, gawking at Mount Everest, which looms across the valley like Godzilla.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • On most days the Jewel House in the Tower of London is packed with tourists gawking at the fabled British Crown Jewels.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of gawking
Adjective
  • The end result would be a gassy surface shining as brightly as a more exposed black hole but with the Balmer break and smooth red hump of a 5,000-kelvin star, de Graaff and Naidu theorized.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Morgan Stanley said Equinix and Digital Realty are less exposed because their facilities average roughly 5 to 10 megawatts, far below the gigawatt-scale AI campuses planned by hyperscalers and neocloud operators.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of exposed
Verb
  • Related The Instagram gallery opens with a photo of Grande embracing Alvarez and gazing into his eyes amid lush greenery.
    — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2026
  • No, the only way to truly appreciate The Gilded Age is to adopt the same perspective that Oscar and Enid prefer when gazing upon the rest of New York society.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of gazing

Browse Nearby Words

gapes
gaping
gaps
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Cite this Entry

“Gaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaping. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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