as in makeshifts
a temporary replacement
the coach we have now was only hired as a stopgap until someone with more experience is found
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Recent Examples of stopgaps
The risks and challenges of government AI use Broader reports on AI adoption in the government shows a slower adoption story, full of challenges and stopgaps.
—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
Both Salisbury and Schuster see the LCS as primarily stopgaps for the Navy, likely to give way to a new generation of frigates that was announced last December.
—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
The morning appetite is a different animal from its midday and evening counterparts; there is no growing anticipation, no gradual negotiation, no consideration of snacks or other stopgaps.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
What’s heightening the crisis is that stopgaps typically used to offset supply shocks have been rendered moot.
—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
The Sharks have long needed to upgrade on defense, but the preference should be toward finding longer-term solutions than the current stopgaps.
—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
At the moment, staffers at Mission Valley are relying on stopgaps like plugging a long extension cord into a nearby fire station for power.
—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
The 29-year-old Russell and even the 33-year-old Irving are stopgaps.
—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
The agency did not answer questions about state-level stopgaps.
—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
Both Salisbury and Schuster see the LCS as primarily stopgaps for the Navy, likely to give way to a new generation of frigates that was announced last December.
—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
The morning appetite is a different animal from its midday and evening counterparts; there is no growing anticipation, no gradual negotiation, no consideration of snacks or other stopgaps.
—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
What’s heightening the crisis is that stopgaps typically used to offset supply shocks have been rendered moot.
—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
The Sharks have long needed to upgrade on defense, but the preference should be toward finding longer-term solutions than the current stopgaps.
—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
At the moment, staffers at Mission Valley are relying on stopgaps like plugging a long extension cord into a nearby fire station for power.
—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
The 29-year-old Russell and even the 33-year-old Irving are stopgaps.
—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
The agency did not answer questions about state-level stopgaps.
—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stopgaps
substitutes
Noun
-
On matchdays, the first sittings begin around five hours before kick-off, with the last one taking place around three hours before, usually taken by the substitutes who prefer to eat later.
-
Senegal led the way with four goals from substitutes while Switzerland, Germany and Canada each had three goals off the bench.
Cite this Entry
“Stopgaps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stopgaps. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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