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
Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
China limits European equipment in telecoms infrastructure China is reportedly limiting the use of European equipment in its telecoms infrastructure, pointing to a deepening technological gulf between Beijing and the West.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
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
The gulf between pilots and scale is one of the defining stories of AI today.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
China limits European equipment in telecoms infrastructure China is reportedly limiting the use of European equipment in its telecoms infrastructure, pointing to a deepening technological gulf between Beijing and the West.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2025
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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An 11-bay carriage house with a guest apartment, along with a 4,500-square-foot staff house, rounds out the magnificent estate.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 Nov. 2025
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He was parked at a self-service bay of a 24-hour car wash two officers pulled into the West Boise business, detained him and used a drug dog to search his vehicle after noticing his parked vehicle.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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All men want is for their charging cables to stop sliding off their desks and nightstands, disappearing into a deep, dark abyss that’s impossible to reach.—
John Lonsdale,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Nov. 2025
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Sor Juana’s verses confirm that venturing into the dating pool is always like stepping into a dark abyss.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Still, Patino described a canyon between the preoccupations and paths of people like Bezos and Griffin and the people in attendance like himself.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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The sheriff’s office's search and rescue team released images showing first responders lowering a basket into the canyon for the recovery of the victim.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Despite being one of three teams to make the playoffs from the NL Central division, the gap between the Cubs and Brewers is sizable.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The widening gap followed a private equity spending spree in 2021, as firms rushed to deploy unspent funds, with activity also boosted by ultra-low interest rates.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The frigid blast is courtesy of our old wintertime foe, the polar vortex, Maue said.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
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The often misunderstood polar vortex is awakening again Along with the cold, rounds of lake-effect snow are forecast for the Great Lakes region and the Northeast.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Anger and grief lead to change The deaths at Camp Mystic have led to sharp questions from parents and lawmakers about the camp’s safety and evacuation plan in an area known to flood on a regular basis.—
Pamela Brown,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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TikTok users were quick to flood the comments.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Chesapeake Bay—the largest estuary in the continental United States—used to be packed with oysters, more than anyone today might imagine.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
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Mangroves exist in the intertidal zones of warm rivers, estuaries and bays, growing in the sediment brought to the coast by the freshwater rivers and tides, according to the Australia Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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They had been alerted that Running Fence was planning to enter the ocean despite having no permit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Systems to better protect oceans, coastal marshes and mangroves will also be on the agenda, as well as an emphasis on the indigenous people who live on and manage much of the world’s natural places.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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