stopgap 1 of 2

as in substitute
a temporary replacement the coach we have now was only hired as a stopgap until someone with more experience is found

Synonyms & Similar Words

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stopgap

2 of 2

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stopgap different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of stopgap are expedient, makeshift, resort, resource, and shift. While all these words mean "something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply," stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

When can expedient be used instead of stopgap?

The synonyms expedient and stopgap are sometimes interchangeable, but expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

In what contexts can makeshift take the place of stopgap?

While the synonyms makeshift and stopgap are close in meaning, makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

How are the words resource and resort related as synonyms of stopgap?

Both resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

When might shift be a better fit than stopgap?

The words shift and stopgap can be used in similar contexts, but shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

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 stopgap
Noun
There was but brief passive acknowledgment by either lawmaker of the civil war playing out among Democrats over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) breaking with House Democrats to help Republicans pass a stopgap funding bill and avert a shutdown. Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Mar. 2025 This risk-free structure allows employers to shift funds away from temporary stopgaps like contract labor and sign-on bonuses and toward investments in long-term, stable staffing. Maria Flynn, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Schumer and nine other Democrats in the Senate voted to advance the GOP’s stopgap bill, giving Republicans a big win. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025 Sinema responded by pointing to Democrats who had campaigned or called on the filibuster to be eliminated voting to filibuster the stopgap funding bill last week. Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stopgap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stopgap
Noun
  • Days after the Ways and Means Committee released a draft version of the tax bill, followed by a substitute amendment, questions began to fly.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • While some blends can be used as a 1:1 ratio substitute for sugar, others are significantly sweeter than sugar and may have published ratios of up to 12:1.
    Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Calvin Pickard Pickard dressed as the backup for Game 1 against the Kings on April 21.
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • Furner noted that the company doesn’t have any concerns about port backups in the U.S., particularly as Marketplace sellers navigate the tariff situation.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • While teasing the reader with questions about the child’s paternity, Lamont’s story of a make-do family revels in the often comically porous borders of faith, home, and adulthood.
    The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025
  • While teasing the reader with questions about the child’s paternity, Lamont’s story of a make-do family revels in the often comically porous borders of faith, home, and adulthood.
    The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stopgap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stopgap. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on stopgap

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