gap year

American  

[gap yeer] / ˈgæp ˌjɪər /

noun

gap years plural

1. a period of time, usually an academic or calendar year, in which a student takes a break from school to travel, work, or volunteer, typically after ending high school and before starting college.

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gap year British  

noun

1. a year's break taken by a student between leaving school and starting further education

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gap years
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gap year

First recorded in 1975–80; gap ( def. ) + year ( def. )

Example Sentences

King announced the awards would take gap year in 2017, which extended to 2020.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Oorah runs a matchmaking program for Jewish youth and funds gap year trips to Israel for 17- and 18-year-olds.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Before Reed Hastings revolutionized the global entertainment business, he sold Rainbow vacuum cleaners door-to-door during his gap year between high school and Bowdoin College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

The UK will launch a military "gap year" scheme, as part of efforts to boost recruitment and reconnect young people with defence, the government said Saturday.

From Barron's • Dec. 27, 2025

After taking a gap year, she'd enroll at Harvard.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama