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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of gulf
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
The market moves exacerbate the gulf between software makers, which haven’t seen much traction from AI features, and tech giants that have ridden the AI wave to record valuations.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 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
Economists and other professionals who keep an eye on financial markets have become increasingly concerned about a widening gulf between Americans in the top wealth brackets and everyone else.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
The market moves exacerbate the gulf between software makers, which haven’t seen much traction from AI features, and tech giants that have ridden the AI wave to record valuations.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 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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Just two weeks ago, a coyote apparently swam across the bay to Alcatraz Island.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The pair allegedly tried to use a tool to access the rear door of the EMS bay before being confronted by EMTs.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Kafka compared it to descending into the cold abyss of oneself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Within a five-day span last week, the Boston Red Sox went from the abyss to the mountaintop.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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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Its dual mission is to bridge the early-stage funding gap and guarantee global access, ensuring products aren’t confined to wealthy markets for decades but are introduced in low- and middle-income countries in parallel.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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That gap lies between mathematical modelling and real human perception.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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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The space, a former artist’s studio turned residence, opens directly onto the street and is crowned by a transom window that floods the interior with natural light.—
Nicolas Milon,
Architectural Digest,
13 Jan. 2026
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Fans have since flooded the comment section of the December video, with many pointing out that, in retrospect, Sarah cooking for herself was a subtle hint at the pair's divorce.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary on the nation’s east coast, but the manatees, birds and fish that call it home are suffering dramatically from the death of seagrass and the abundance of noxious algae that thrive on polluted water.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
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Get On The Water Matlacha is surrounded by mangroves and estuaries full of wildlife like dolphins, rays, and manatees.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The team also found that periods of elevated ocean temperatures — usually times of stress for the microbes because of a dearth of nutrients — actually resulted in more of those positive interactions.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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And farther north along Gleason Beach in Sonoma County, rapid erosion finally forced officials in 2020 to move a section of the road inland, to further avoid the ocean’s wrath.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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