gulf 1 of 2

noun

ˈgəlf How to pronounce gulf (audio)
Definition of gulfnext
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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5
as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center the doomed ship was sucked into the gulf and consigned to Davy Jones's locker

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gulf

2 of 2

verb

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gulf
Noun
The list goes on; suffice it to say, there’s a wide gulf between Book Tumbleton and Show Tumbleton. — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Tragedy lies in the gulf between beliefs or intentions and reality. — Judy Berman, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Anna Bowden of this Cape Fear bridges that gulf a little. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gulf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf
  1. bay
  2. abyss
  3. canyon
  4. gap
  5. vortex
  6. flood
  7. estuary
  8. ocean
Noun
  • Snakes are ectothermic and rely on outside heat to regulate their body temperature, so a dark, warm engine bay makes an appealing shelter — and offers plenty of nooks to hide from predators.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Monochrome cruise missile is based on the S-71 Kovyor and is designed for carriage inside the weapons bays of the Su-57 fighter jet and S-70 Okhotnik drone.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of bay
Noun
  • And into the abyss of checks and balances, entitlement crept in.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • Canine teams also have been used in the search through steep canyons and dense vegetation.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Defending Big Bend At Santa Elena Canyon, local river guide Billy Miller speaks into a megaphone – his voice slightly bouncing off the canyon walls.
    — Carlos Morales, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of canyon
Noun
  • That gap matters far more now that the premiums have compressed, and in many cases inverted.
    — Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Even though public schooling became compulsory in 1896, the language barrier and the remote location of many plantations led to gaps in access to these laborers’ formal education.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • The team identified 47 of these vortex-bearing interfaces in the telescope’s field of view and measured the spacing between adjacent curls.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Using mechanisms scientists are still trying to understand, the cilia wave around to generate fast-moving vortices of water that circulate oxygen to the coral’s outer tissues, in addition to helping keep the colonies free of sediment.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of vortex
Verb
  • Since the first attack July 18 in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and in the southwestern Tambov region, Wildberries depots burned one after another in massive fires that flooded social media.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • At these levels, Mosquito Lagoon will no longer be an estuary but be our new ocean beach.
    — Jay Reddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Peter’s family boarded the vessel for an eight-mile trip down the estuary to the George III Hotel when the tide pushed it into a bridge and sent all 42 passengers into the water, the outlet reported.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of estuary
Noun
  • The search for megalodon teeth has become a cottage industry in eastern North and South Carolina, a region that was once the floor of an ancient ocean.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The proposal is seen as a part of a broader push to integrate China’s civilian maritime infrastructure into national defense planning, particularly as Beijing’s security and economic interests increasingly extend across the world’s oceans.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of ocean

Browse Nearby Words

gulches
gulf
gulfed
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Cite this Entry

“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gulf

Nglish: Translation of gulf for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gulf

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