1
as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf
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2
as in abyss
an immeasurable depth or space
the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along
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3
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulf was too wide to cross, so we had to hike down into it and go through it
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4
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
a wide gulf in the defensive wall meant the city was in grave danger
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as in to flood
to cover with a flood
with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of gulf
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
Though things definitely look hairy in Minnesota, a significant gulf remains between non-cooperation and armed resistance from municipal and state service members.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 22, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Noun
Between the jobs set to benefit from AI and those that risk disappearing, lies a vast gulf of positions that will only be partially affected or not at all.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
Though things definitely look hairy in Minnesota, a significant gulf remains between non-cooperation and armed resistance from municipal and state service members.
—Joe Wilkins Published Jan 22, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
Read More: Gulf Spat Escalates as Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Media Attack Qatar
Institutional and individual investors from the GCC sold 34.6 million riyals ($9.5 million) of Qatari stocks on Monday, the most in a single trading session since March 21.
—Glen Carey, Bloomberg.com, 30 May 2017
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf
Noun
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Turn bays were only partially cleared.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
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Raritan Bay ice buildup Pilings from the Keansburg Fishing Pier were sticking out of the bay between Staten Island and New Jersey on Thursday, three days after the partial collapse.—
Christine Sloan,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The next few months are pivotal and will determine whether this team slides backward into the abyss that came before Shanahan or back onto a path where Cup contention becomes viable again.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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Incarnating a character like this, involves a lot of jumps into an unknown abyss of a play, of a game, of a world that’s been created, and every day there is a risk.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The impact of that realization, combined with the serenity and natural beauty of the canyon, make an unforgettable first impression.—
Asonta Benetti,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
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Right now, warm water is barely cresting the moraine, then flowing down a seabed canyon toward the glacier.—
Christian Elliott,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Get those four points — with the win over the Bruins being in regulation — and Florida’s gap will be down to five points for the final spot, a much more manageable situation to work through than their current spot.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
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Over the last few years, Strober says the company’s success proves that the gap in women’s health care was a systemic oversight and one ripe for innovation.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Electric utilities in the South had spent billions weatherizing the grid and power plants after the 2014 polar vortex, whose record cold weather exposed vulnerabilities.—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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When unstable, the polar vortex can cause the jet stream — a band of strong wind that generally travels from west to east and acts as a boundary between cold, polar air and warmer air farther south — to buckle, sending bitterly cold air from the Arctic southward into North America.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Khanna said his office had been flooded with calls and emails as the mixed messaging left many local residents fearful.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Thousands of people and cars will undoubtedly flood the streets, but the self-driving car company has projected confidence.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Built in the estuary of what was once the River Kaystros, near the Aegean coast, Ephesus thrived as a trading hub connecting east and west.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Three men, all 22 years old, fell through the ice into the estuary’s frigid waters off Norton Drive and Bayswater Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The transparency was like a warm ocean breeze blowing through their home.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
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From enormous ocean liners complete with mini-amusement parks, kids’ clubs, casinos, comedy clubs, and upscale lounges, to small river cruises with a focus on culture and off-board excursions that show off local flavors, there are so many options for travelers today.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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