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
Relevance
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gulf
Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Since the war began, at least two of the three LCS assigned to the gulf for minesweeping have been spotted as far away as Malaysia and Singapore.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 May 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
But both sides offered plans to reduce the gulf in money generated by teams in local television deals.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026
Since the war began, at least two of the three LCS assigned to the gulf for minesweeping have been spotted as far away as Malaysia and Singapore.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 May 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
-
At their smallest, marine heat waves can inundate local bays and coves with hotter-than-normal water for a few days or weeks.—
Dillon Amaya,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
-
The event features a free concert, fireworks over the bay and family-friendly activities throughout the historic district.—
Amy Galo,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
If there have been peaks and valleys in terms of social freedoms since 1979 (President Mohammad Khatami’s tenure being a higher point), Iranians are currently in an abyss.—
Joobin Bekhrad,
Time,
10 June 2026
-
The rescue team was able to pump enough water out of the system for four miners to crawl out of the muddy abyss on May 30, authorities said.—
Aicha El Hammar Castano,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Mesa Verde continues to hold great cultural significance for the 27 pueblos and tribes whose ancestors once called the canyons, farms, cliffside and mesa dwellings home or who have other ties to the area.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
In late afternoon, about 44 firefighters were working to knock down flames in the canyon’s steep and rocky terrain, the department said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Also visit Devil’s Gulch within the park to learn about the legend of outlaw Jesse James, who allegedly jumped an 18-foot gap on horseback after a botched bank robbery in 1876.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
And on Tuesday, the gap was even wider, and the entire surface was beginning to droop toward the ocean.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The swirl can be consuming, this vortex of trade rumors that has defined this Miami Heat offseason.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 June 2026
-
With the size of Yao Ming and the range of Stephen Curry, Wembanyama is less a breath of fresh air than a vortex of revolution.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Fans and former costars alike flooded social media with outpourings of appreciation for his talent and grief at his death.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
-
The set design is centered around the flooded, burned down, and demolished house that appears in the album visuals and is somehow still standing despite it all.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
In exchange, China could seek greater access to the estuary of the Tumen River, which forms part of the border between the two countries, and navigational rights in waters off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
The North Carolina Estuarium is another highlight, with Pamlico River tours as well as 200 exhibits on estuaries and coastal rivers.—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
And on Tuesday, the gap was even wider, and the entire surface was beginning to droop toward the ocean.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
The climate is changing; plants and animals are going extinct; the oceans are rising and warming.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
