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Synonyms

gaping

British  
/ ˈɡeɪpɪŋ /

adjective

  1. wide open; extremely wide

    a gaping hole
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • gapingly adverb

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Around the base of the vents, he found a family of rodents and their droppings, along with gaping holes under the eaves of the roofline that allowed them inside.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Chakravorti traces the gaping wage hole to India's services-driven growth, which supports a "narrower slice" of the population, in contrast to China's manufacturing-led boom.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

He replied, “The vacuum” — the gaping void where his career used to be.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

He has implemented major austerity measures — including more than 1,000 layoffs last year — to shore up a gaping budget deficit.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

Ivan and Anya huddled together, gaping at the possessed pitchfork wobbling before the loft ladder.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.