gape 1 of 4

Definition of gapenext

gape

2 of 4

verb (1)

as in to stare
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

gaping

3 of 4

adjective

gaping

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of gape

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 gape
Noun
Many bird species young have this gape so the parents can more easily direct food into their mouths. Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025 For instance, that toothy gape up front is corralled by a goatee of nearly 200 digital light whiskers. New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
This is the most gaping vacancy of all—Trump gestures toward two American incitements, one historic, one extremely recent. Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 But in his wake, an even more malicious malefactor arose, taking advantage of a gaping spiritual void to double down on Jeff's sadistic coercion. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
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 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
Verb
This is the most gaping vacancy of all—Trump gestures toward two American incitements, one historic, one extremely recent. Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026 But in his wake, an even more malicious malefactor arose, taking advantage of a gaping spiritual void to double down on Jeff's sadistic coercion. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gape
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape
Noun
  • Still as feisty as UConn baseball fans might remember him, the original AK touched 98 MPH and had a stare-down with Jac Caglianone after a hit by pitch.
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
  • What followed was a wide-eyed stare into the wrong camera that, once the crew found the right angle, devolved into an unsettling mog.
    Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Twelve students, including Brendan LaFave, the high-achieving kid from Ann Arbor, live in the three-story brown-brick house, which has white columns along its wide front porch.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The top is designed with horizontal pleated detailing and cap sleeves, while the bottoms offer a simple, wide-leg silhouette with side pockets and a drawstring to adjust the fit to your liking.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Others said the ad was regressive, highlighting a blonde bombshell and catering to the objectifying male gaze.
    Anika Reed, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Monica Lewinsky, dark hair cascading to her waist, meets my gaze.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Noun
  • Two men carried an effigy of Maduro, his eyes blood-red, and his teeth vampiric, wearing a prison jumpsuit with a chain around his neck.
    Diego Lasarte, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
  • And framed and hung on the door directly outside of the locker room is a life-sized contract sitting roughly eye-level with the players, ranging between six and seven feet tall.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • In the past a bundle of extensions could conjure images of the exposed, holding-on-by-a-strand mishaps of the early aughts.
    Hunter Lacey, Allure, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The objective is to reduce exposed equity within the entity in a lawful and structured manner.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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