British
1
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
a narrow gill in the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in brook
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 gill
Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Her nerves and inner paths twist into a lemniscate; her heart, gills, kidneys, osphradium, digestive organs rotate within her body from the left to the right side of her all-important foot.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Mycologists use dichotomous keys to identify the species of mushroom based on its physical characteristics including the cap, stem, ring and gills.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Execution is more of the issue, as the film’s 112-minute running time feels both packed to the gills and unable to fully tackle everything James’ script throws at the wall.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gill
Noun
Since then, the hotel has seen everyone from Winston Churchill to Elton John pass through, and rooms are packed to the gills with antiques, tartans, and old photographs.
—Timothy Latterner, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Her nerves and inner paths twist into a lemniscate; her heart, gills, kidneys, osphradium, digestive organs rotate within her body from the left to the right side of her all-important foot.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Mycologists use dichotomous keys to identify the species of mushroom based on its physical characteristics including the cap, stem, ring and gills.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Execution is more of the issue, as the film’s 112-minute running time feels both packed to the gills and unable to fully tackle everything James’ script throws at the wall.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gill
Cite this Entry
“Gill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gill. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
