as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulch floods in the spring with the runoff from the mountains, so wait until later in the summer to hike it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gulch
Overlooking not only the river but the neighboring Gebbers’ family apple and cherry orchards, the heaving ridges and rugged gulches at Scarecrow lend themselves to speed slots, blind shots, punchbowl greens, and holes that boomerang around or play over massive waste areas.
—
Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Three rock climbers were ascending a sport climbing route in a Colorado gulch when one of them fell to their death, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
One longtime and renowned Newport Beach resident, silver screen icon John Wayne, helped turn a gulch in the Upper Newport Bay into a private tennis club, initially called the John Wayne Tennis Club, now known as Palisades Tennis Club.
—Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 17 July 2025
The beauty, indeed, pulls it into the gulches of noir.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gulch
Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Three rock climbers were ascending a sport climbing route in a Colorado gulch when one of them fell to their death, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
One longtime and renowned Newport Beach resident, silver screen icon John Wayne, helped turn a gulch in the Upper Newport Bay into a private tennis club, initially called the John Wayne Tennis Club, now known as Palisades Tennis Club.
—Richard Dunn, Oc Register, 17 July 2025
The beauty, indeed, pulls it into the gulches of noir.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gulch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulch
Noun
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Bring your mountain bike for a beautiful 10-mile ride through Blackstar Canyon Wilderness Park, which boasts views of Irvine Lake, the Santa Ana Mountains and Silverado and Santiago canyons.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
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In Sport, carving the canyon roads Deer Creek and Mulholland, the car responds to driver inputs like a fast-twitch muscle.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Low fence markers can be seen outlining the building zone along Route 2, which slopes along open land, wooded patches and some ravines.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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In the foothills of the Himalayas, a wire on a cable car snaps, leaving eight passengers, including several schoolchildren, dangling 900 feet above a ravine awaiting rescue before the remaining cable fails.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These single-pitch routes scale the park’s 60-foot-deep gorge and range from W12 to W13 in difficulty.—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
28 Jan. 2026
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Turn off your notifications and explore the string of eight state parks in the area, marveling at massive waterfalls, river gorges, and sweeping Superior views.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Cumberland Gap Where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, Cumberland Gap sits in a valley that looks up at the famous gap in the Cumberland Mountain range from which the town gets its name.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
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Narrow, winding streets and passageways lead up to the centuries-old Eglise Saint-Sauveur for sweeping views of the rugged valley.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulch. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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