as in wide
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Dissimilar Words
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
Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Trying to save the Post-Gazette If the Post-Gazette shuts down as scheduled on May 3, Pittsburgh will be without a daily newspaper for the first time since the late 1700s, leaving a gaping void in the city and the region.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 10 Feb. 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
Lastly, some members of the mainstream media’s reports on the violent anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis have been draped in gross mischaracterizations and gaping omissions.
—Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Trying to save the Post-Gazette If the Post-Gazette shuts down as scheduled on May 3, Pittsburgh will be without a daily newspaper for the first time since the late 1700s, leaving a gaping void in the city and the region.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gaping
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaping
Adjective
-
That particular corner was filled with pink shirts and defeated faces, and Salloi stood in front of them, fingers in the corners of his mouth, drawing his smile wide like the Joker.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
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Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, an event that will draw an even larger economic influx with a wider international crowd over a longer period of time.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After taking his skis off, Klæbo sat hunched over, staring into the snow, before standing up and congratulating his teammates and the rest of the finishers.—
Nathaniel Herz,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
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Kids leaned over the sideline staring at fresh paint that had not learned the language of pickup games yet.—
D’Joumbarey Moreau,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 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
-
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
-
An exposed décolletage keeps the silhouette from being basic while keeping it classy.—
Collette Grimes,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Standing under a starry sky, gazing up at the wonder of the cosmos, is a foundational human experience and one that has shaped our storytelling and cultures for millennia.—
Megan Eaves,
Outside,
20 Feb. 2026
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Whitney is gazing into the middle distance, contemplating a runner on a Lithuanian passport, when Ferdinand blows the world of season four apart.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gaping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaping. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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