GULF Synonyms: 158 Similar and Opposite Words

gulf 1 of 2

noun

ˈgəlf

Definition of gulf

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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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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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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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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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gulf

2 of 2

verb

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

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 gulf

Noun

While there may not be a big gap between, say, Brock Purdy and Jaxson Dart, there is a veritable gulf between Dart and whichever five players the Browns throw out at the position this season. — Sports Betting, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 As is the case with many of China’s policies, there is often a large gulf between words and deeds, and studying China’s history with rare earths reveals the amalgam of competing priorities that have shaped its policy. — Gloria Xiong, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

The Anna Bowden of this Cape Fear bridges that gulf a little. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gulf

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulf

Noun

Rooms and suites offer views over the ocean, the South Mumbai cityscape, or the bay and are elegantly fitted for business and leisure travellers.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
Certain roads — such as Highway 37, which connects Marin County to Napa County on the bay shoreline — as well as parts of Highway 101 and coastal Highway 1 are all at risk for flooding.

— Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of bay

Noun

And into the abyss of checks and balances, entitlement crept in.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.

— Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of abyss

Noun

This also includes the largest American variant, the western mastiff, with a wingspan of nearly two feet, and the smallest, the thumb-sized, nickel-weighing western pipistrelle, also called the canyon bat.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Water Canyon Campground Water Canyon Campground is tucked away inside an oceanfront canyon on Santa Rosa Island, offering some protection from the park’s strong winds.

— Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of canyon

Noun

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
That’s not an easy gap to close, especially in a state with strict budget caps.

— Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of gap

Verb

The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

— MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
And on July 12, 2008, two undocumented immigrants drowned as a wash near Nogales flooded in a heavy thunderstorm.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of flood

Noun

Although the brackish estuary’s health is improving somewhat — particularly in the Mosquito Lagoon — the entire system remains impaired by pollution, including from septic tanks and wastewater spills.

— Molly Duerig, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
At these levels, Mosquito Lagoon will no longer be an estuary but be our new ocean beach.

— Jay Reddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of estuary

Browse Nearby Words

gulches

gulf

gulfed

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Style

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

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Synonyms of gulf

noun

verb

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