GAPES Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

gapes 1 of 2

noun

plural of gape

as in stares

a fixed intent look I told him to stop staring, that his rather stupid gape was annoying

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gapes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gape

as in gazes

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 gapes

Verb

Straitjacketed inside the inescapable present, Pearl gapes up to discover that her husband, Walker, has found her; Walker was always going to find her. — Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gapes

Noun

With all of his flexes and stares and shuffles, every plate appearance feels like an event.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
The crowd sips matcha dragon fruit cocktails and stares, aghast.

— Dina Cheney, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of stares

Noun

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
And sore must be the storm indeed that can abash the foliage fiesta that pleases so many eyes.

— Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of eyes

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gapers

gapes

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

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Synonyms of gapes

noun

verb

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