as in girlfriends
a female romantic companion
every Jack must have his Gill
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1
as in canyons
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 creeks
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge
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Recent Examples of gills
Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2026
The spongy underside of the cap has pores—rather than gills as seen in Agaricales mushrooms such as shiitake and portobello—which are the openings to tubes through which spores exit the mushroom.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
While most amphibians eventually undergo metamorphosis and move from water to land, axolotls retain their tails and external feathery gills, essentially remaining in a permanent larval-like state.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
This skill is especially useful in their environment, where aggressive encounters can happen; an axolotl may even bite off the gills or limbs of another if provoked or crowded.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
In their underwater world, this ability serves a practical purpose as well; when threatened or crowded, an axolotl may even bite off the gills or limbs of another, only for both to regenerate over time.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
On April 16, the TV Academy in North Hollywood was packed to the gills for a screening of the season two finale — which looked particularly stunning on a big screen — followed by an impressive Q&A and reception with Thornton, Larter, Elliott, Moore, Randolph, Lofland and Chávez.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Some have gills, some have lungs; some lay eggs, some don’t; some eat seaweed, some eat other fish.
—Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
When chemicals from oil dissolve into the water column, water-breathing animals such as fish absorb them through their gills and corals absorb them directly through their tissues.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
Fossils from these most special locations not only show body outlines and external textures but also preserve details from appendages and internal organs, from eyes and gills to guts and nerve networks.
—Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 1 May 2026
The spongy underside of the cap has pores—rather than gills as seen in Agaricales mushrooms such as shiitake and portobello—which are the openings to tubes through which spores exit the mushroom.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
While most amphibians eventually undergo metamorphosis and move from water to land, axolotls retain their tails and external feathery gills, essentially remaining in a permanent larval-like state.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
This skill is especially useful in their environment, where aggressive encounters can happen; an axolotl may even bite off the gills or limbs of another if provoked or crowded.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
In their underwater world, this ability serves a practical purpose as well; when threatened or crowded, an axolotl may even bite off the gills or limbs of another, only for both to regenerate over time.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
On April 16, the TV Academy in North Hollywood was packed to the gills for a screening of the season two finale — which looked particularly stunning on a big screen — followed by an impressive Q&A and reception with Thornton, Larter, Elliott, Moore, Randolph, Lofland and Chávez.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Some have gills, some have lungs; some lay eggs, some don’t; some eat seaweed, some eat other fish.
—Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
When chemicals from oil dissolve into the water column, water-breathing animals such as fish absorb them through their gills and corals absorb them directly through their tissues.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gills. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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