gaping 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of gapingnext
as in wide

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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
Shalini Adnani’s poignant coming-of-age drama Our Share of Sand presents a unique perspective on India’s gaping class inequality, child labor and the deep corruption underpinning a family’s economic status. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Advocates hope — with varying degrees of optimism — that the result will help close the gaping disparities in how different demographic groups perform. — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 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
  • OpenAI’s recent proof, for instance, has yet to receive verification from the wider mathematical community.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Washington did grow, and for years tourists and residents flocked to the Capitol’s wide terrace overlooking the National Mall, especially at sunset.
    — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of wide
Verb
  • Once there, staring at the devastation, there was no denying the reality of death.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
  • This, like Hamlet, is about staring death in the face and fulfilling a dream not thought impossible.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 4 Sep. 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
  • Such an approach runs the risk of gawking at an unfamiliar people, their hegemonies and their ways of life, even with the best intentions.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Sep. 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
  • 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
  • The fact that my life is so exposed is incredibly complex for me.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of exposed
Verb
  • Lodging options include houseboats along the banks of the Kennebunk River with private rooftop decks for gazing at the autumnal views.
    — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Predictably, this set off a furious round of acrimonious criticism, know-it-all navel-gazing, and schadenfreude.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2026.

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