GAPE Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

gape 1 of 2

noun

Definition of gape

as in stare

a fixed intent look I told him to stop staring, that his rather stupid gape was annoying

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gape

2 of 2

verb

ˈgāp

as in to stare

to look long and hard in wonder or surprise she suddenly realized she had been gaping at the good-looking waiter instead of giving him her order

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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 gape

Noun

Give someone these Santa Maria Novella Melograno Bath Salts, tell them the history, and watch as their mouths gape in surprise. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 10 Feb. 2026 At times, the actor feels more like a design element, akin to the marble coffins and gape-mouthed friezes of this gothic world. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025

Verb

In November 2021, four thieves used a van to smash through a Walgreens on York Road, leaving a gaping hole. — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 Portions of some roads literally washed away, leaving gaping holes in the pavement. — Evan Frank, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gape

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape

Noun

His death-stare look and arm-claw mound demeanor incited a certain fear that was backed up by results.

— Sam Blum, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
The crowd sips matcha dragon fruit cocktails and stares, aghast.

— Dina Cheney, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of stare

Verb

People in surrounding cars gawked, waved and, in one instance, rolled down their windows to shout something that went unheard, as Bonelli explained that the van had internal cameras that were always on but not always being watched.

— Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026
On most days the Jewel House in the Tower of London is packed with tourists gawking at the fabled British Crown Jewels.

— Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of gawk

Noun

Winner of the Best Actress prize at Sarajevo after premiering in the Berlinale’s Perspectives section, the film has a bleak, unflinching gaze that sometimes skims the edges of shock-value miserablism.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Anton, whose gaze at the couple can only be described as wistful.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of gaze

Noun

Its exterior is rich with symbolism, from stone carvings representing the all-seeing eye of God to a golden statue, atop the highest spire, of an angel blowing a trumpet to herald the Second Coming.

— Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Unlike the heavy smoky eyes and cut creases of the 2010s, this trend is throwing it back to the 1990s when smoky eyes were more minimalist.

— Elle Turner, Glamour, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of eye

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gap

gape

gaped

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“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of gape

noun

verb

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