1
as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf
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2
as in abyss
an immeasurable depth or space
the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along
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3
as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulf was too wide to cross, so we had to hike down into it and go through it
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4
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
a wide gulf in the defensive wall meant the city was in grave danger
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5
as in vortex
water moving rapidly in a circle with a hollow in the center
the doomed ship was sucked into the gulf and consigned to Davy Jones's locker
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as in to flood
to cover with a flood
with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gulf
Alexander Smith, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025
This is bad enough, but then there’s the wide gulf of sensibility that separates Rock and Martin; the latter’s effete irony just doesn’t gel with Rock’s political trenchancy.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Noun
Even if Putin were to agree to this interim détente, there remains a gulf between the positions of Russia and Ukraine, which wants security guarantees before signing a ceasefire with a giant neighbor that has violated past agreements.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025
This is bad enough, but then there’s the wide gulf of sensibility that separates Rock and Martin; the latter’s effete irony just doesn’t gel with Rock’s political trenchancy.
—Bill Wyman, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological.
—Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018
See All Example Sentences for gulf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf
Noun
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Add bay leaves, saffron and its liquid, and enough vegetable stock to barely cover sweet potato cubes.—
Yakir Levy,
Oc Register,
2 Apr. 2025
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The latest attempt to reduce the pollution input from stormwater is a series of pilot projects to filter water flowing from cities into the bay.—
Courtney Heath,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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He has been hooked ever since, a regular during the good and not-so good years; a regular even last year during the journey into the abyss.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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While Baylor football descended into football abyss, Joe’s career ascended in banking and private business.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Immigration Canyon is one of those classic, great motorcycle canyons.—
DeMarco Williams,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Many of the park’s main canyons and stunning rock features were carved by glaciers over millions of years.—
Paul Rogers,
The Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The budget also kicks the proverbial can down the road with respect to certain costs, most notably leading to an apparent $18 billion gap in 2029.—
Eric J. Gertler,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
-
Wiegman wants to have a balanced team for the summer but the midfield is a gap that is yet to be addressed.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There, Carrie inherits the patent for his electromagnetic device and, to better understand it and him, connects with his collaborators, and enters the vortex of their conspiracies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2025
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The formation allows sardines to take advantage of the vortices created by their neighbors, facilitating more efficient movement through the water.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Playboi Carti Scores 30 Hot 100 Hits at Once This week, Playboi Carti floods the Hot 100 with an incredible 30 tracks.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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As Hood prepares himself for the final battle, disaster strikes at home the night before he’s set to leave for Oklahoma: One of his kids intentionally floods the upstairs toilet while their father is downstairs making spaghetti.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Through its tours, the New Smyrna Beach nonprofit informs visitors about the flora and fauna found within the estuary, plus the problems plaguing the ecosystem and ongoing recovery efforts.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2025
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As of last October, Maryland authorities had also not done a risk assessment for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Homendy said, a four-mile long set of parallel bridges crossing the estuary.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Container cargo coming in via ocean carrier must be lodged 24 hours before the containers start loading begins at the non-E.U. port.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2025
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The bright yellow ocean robot gained global fame in 2016 after voters overwhelmingly chose its name in an online poll.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulf. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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