gills 1 of 2

noun (1)

plural of gill
as in girlfriends
a female romantic companion every Jack must have his Gill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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gills

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural of gill, British
1
as in canyons
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage a narrow gill in the Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in creeks
a natural body of running water smaller than a river a narrow but surprisingly deep gill runs the length of the rocky gorge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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 gills
Noun
As water moves through their gills, it is filtered for microscopic organisms that these mollusks then consume as food. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026 These are the primary look-alike for this type of edible mushroom, and are recognizable by their true gills rather than forking folds and an orange color that gradually gets darker toward the center of the cap. — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026 Sometimes the dark marks are on the lips or the gills or even covering the fish's eyes. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 22 July 2026 These had a head dominated by large eyes and a partially ossified jaw—but again, no external gills. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026 Tiny mineral deposits preserved within the gills appear to have acted as calcium stores, helping developing larvae build their shells — a process similar to what scientists observe in living freshwater mussels today. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 This is an absolute dream machine, packed to the gills with high-octane silicon that will dominate any modern game at maximum settings. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 18 June 2026 So are Western destroying angel mushroom, which have creamy white caps and white gills. — Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026 Be prepared to be led into temptation at every corner because this tiny neighborhood is packed to the gills with luxury shopping from Bottega Veneta to Prada. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gills
  1. girlfriends
  2. canyons
  3. creeks
  4. women
  5. ravines
  6. brooks
  7. girls
  8. gorges
Noun
  • Showcasing both her perspectives as a former player and current WAG (wives-and-girlfriends of athletes), Broomfield has an online fanbase of roughly 175,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Across America, rogue cops have used Flock data to stalk ex-wives and girlfriends, held families at gunpoint after faulty readings, and kept one woman in jail for 13 days before admitting that the cameras had led them astray.
    — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of girlfriends
Noun
  • Officials briefly closed a portion of the scenic coastal route Thursday afternoon as firefighters scrambled to keep the flames from running through canyons.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Los Alamos, not far from Santa Fe, sits at the foot of Pajarito Mountain in a land of canyons and mesas.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of canyons
Noun
  • As rain falls on the dry, arid slopes in the region, large volumes of water can quickly flow into creeks and waterways.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Its unique campus and educational approach invites students to learn through hiking trails, creeks and ponds and a barnyard with animals.
    — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of creeks
Noun
  • History-making women in front offices and on the sidelines, mascots, and even team names can inspire standing-ovation-worthy choices for a new bundle of joy.
    — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This year, the project’s collaborating artists include musicians James Wilson, Stephen Davis and the all-women Con Brio Quintet.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of women
Noun
  • Lake Overstreet has about five miles of multi-use trails through live oaks (a northern Florida staple), hills and ravines surrounding a secluded 144-acre lake.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Rising from near the Aegean coast to 9,573-foot Mytikas, Greece’s highest peak, the mountain encompasses forests, ravines, limestone cliffs, and alpine habitat with unusually rich plant diversity.
    — Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravines
Noun
  • The surrounding 23 acres the estate sits on are full of trails ripe for exploring, too, and take visitors past historic stone walls, cemeteries, and babbling brooks.
    — Blair West, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Insects drone over running brooks.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of brooks
Noun
  • The latter part of her life and career was dedicated to political activism, writing and social justice, championing LGBTQ+ rights and the rights of women and girls around the world.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In it, the government argued that allowing students who had been born male to compete on girls’ teams amounted to discrimination against female athletes in violation of a section of federal civil rights law.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of girls
Noun
  • The mother and daughter are among 90 Americans missing after the devastating landslide and flood, which tore through steep mountain gorges near the Nepal-China border and surged downstream along a river, wiping out entire villages.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Nepal's mountainous terrain, dotted with deep valleys and narrow gorges, makes rescue and relief operations challenging.
    — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of gorges

Browse Nearby Words

gillnetters
gills
gilt
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Cite this Entry

“Gills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gills. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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