stopgap

noun

stop·gap ˈstäp-ˌgap

often attributive

Synonyms of stopgap next

: something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift

stopgap measures

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

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 See all Example Sentences for stopgap