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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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

His shirt is cut open during the video to reveal what appears to be a gaping gunshot wound in his back. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 Later, the vehicle was removed and a gaping hole was visible in the Metro bus’ side, with wreckage strewn around the scene. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gape

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gape

Noun

Not since Lou Reed jammed 26 dollars in his hand has a group so believably articulated the crescendo and contours of a high, alongside the mundanity, side quests, and thousand-yard stares, too.

— Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
In a scene that became the centerpiece of the film’s teaser trailer, Holmes fixes Fielder with an unwavering stare.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of stare

Verb

The film opens with Tenzing as a boy, gawking at Mount Everest, which looms across the valley like Godzilla.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Closer still to the falls, the mist is heavy enough to drench the sightseers stopping to gawk at the spectacle from viewing points, or on slippery pathways between the various lookouts.

— Charukesi Ramadurai, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of gawk

Noun

Finn — whose gaze is wearily abstracted in one moment, zealously blind the next — is building up a first-rate catalogue of women well past the verge.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
With shame, this feeling is social, connected to the fear of someone else’s disapproving gaze.

— Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of gaze

Noun

Pieces of fish are hand sliced to the ideal thickness and length, and beautifully adorned with garnishes that dazzle the eye and strategically heighten every bite.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
As on television, Seyfried nails Holmes’s wide eyes, unsteady mannerisms, deep voice, and mysterious vocal cadence that makes the character both unreal and oddly human.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of eye

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gap

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gaped

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“Gape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gape. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of gape

noun

verb

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