stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap 

often attributive

: something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift

stopgap measures

Synonyms

• expedient
• makeshift

Choose the Right Synonym for stopgap

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply.

resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources

a last resort

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Examples of stopgap in a Sentence

The new law is intended only as a stopgap.

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

Recent Examples on the Web

But building more addiction treatment beds is a stopgap to a more permanent solution. —Zoe Adams, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2024

Adding a stopgap such as Russell Wilson wouldn’t have made a ton of sense, either. —Vincent Frank, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Ousting Gensler was a stopgap anyway; a successor could be equally tough on crypto. —Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024

But House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana is currently trying pair the controversial legislation with a stopgap funding bill that would help avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of this month. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 16 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap 

: something that fills a gap : a temporary substitute