gulf

1 of 2

noun

ˈgəlf 

1

: a part of an ocean or sea extending into the land

2

: a deep chasm : abyss

3

: whirlpool

4

: a wide gap

the gulf between generations

gulf

2 of 2

verb

gulfed; gulfing; gulfs

transitive verb

: engulf

Synonyms

Noun

• arm
• bay
• bight
• cove
• creek [chiefly British]
• embayment
• estuary
• firth
• fjord
• fiord
• inlet
• loch [Scottish]

Verb

• deluge
• drown
• engulf
• flood
• inundate
• overflow
• overwhelm
• submerge
• submerse
• swamp

Examples of gulf in a Sentence

Noun

we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf

the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along

Verb

with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As with other committee battles, there is an age gulf between Ocasio-Cortez, 35, and her rival, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who is 74. —Andrew Solender, Axios, 13 Dec. 2024

There exists a yawning gulf of 35% between average monthly mortgage payments for new homes and rents for apartments, fueled by the 75% surge in average mortgage payments since late 2019. —Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological. —Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English goulf, from Middle French golfe, from Italian golfo, from Late Latin colpus, from Greek kolpos bosom, gulf; akin to Old English hwealf vault, Old High German walbo

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gulf

noun

ˈgəlf

1

: a part of an ocean or sea extending into the land

2

: a deep hollow in the earth : chasm, abyss

3

: a difference between two people, groups, or things