gap

American  

[gap] / gæp /

noun

gaps plural

1. a break or opening, as in a fence, wall, or military line; breach.

   We found a gap in the enemy's line of fortifications.

2. an empty space or interval; interruption in continuity; hiatus.

   a momentary gap in a siren's wailing; a gap in his memory.

   Synonyms:

   lull, interlude, break, interstice, pause

3. a wide divergence or difference; disparity.

   the gap between expenses and income; the gap between ideals and actions.

4. a difference or disparity in attitudes, perceptions, character, or development, or a lack of confidence or understanding, perceived as creating a problem.

   the technology gap; a communications gap.

5. a deep, sloping ravine or cleft through a mountain ridge.

6. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a mountain pass.

   the Cumberland Gap.

7. Aeronautics. the distance between one supporting surface of an airplane and another above or below it.

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verb (used with object)

gapped, gapping

1. to make a gap, opening, or breach in.

verb (used without object)

gapped, gapping

1. to come open or apart; form or show a gap.

gap British  

/ ɡæp /

noun

1. a break or opening in a wall, fence, etc

2. a break in continuity; interruption; hiatus

   there is a serious gap in the accounts

3. a break in a line of hills or mountains affording a route through

4. a gorge or ravine

5. a divergence or difference; disparity

   there is a gap between his version of the event and hers

   the generation gap

6. electronics

   1. a break in a magnetic circuit that increases the inductance and saturation point of the circuit

   2. See spark gap

7. to remedy a deficiency

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verb

1. (tr) to make a breach or opening in

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• gapless
  adjective
• gappy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• gaps
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gap

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old Norse: “chasm”; akin to Old Norse gapa “to open the mouth wide” ( see gape ( def. ))

Explanation

A gap is the space between two things. It can be physical (like "the gap between your two front teeth") or philosophical (like "the generation gap" between you and your parents). Gap is a small word that packs a lot; it can be used in a straightforward manner: in England, the signs in the subway station say, "Mind the gap" — in hopes that passengers will not wander into the space between the train and the platform. The American retailer, "The Gap," is said to have taken its name from the generation gap. The clothes were designed for teenagers and young adults, and therefore nothing your middle-aged parents would be caught dead in. Times change.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gap gaps gapped gapping

But "the AI buildout is climbing onto a steeper section of track just as the gap between capital spending and internal cash generation narrows", he warned.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

To fund the 5½-year gap until Social Security, the adviser proposes not having a fixed withdrawal strategy.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

This inner gap likely helped capture and preserve Io, Europa, and Ganymede as they moved through the disk.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026

“The gap is so big,” said Charly Wegelius, a sports director for the EF Education-EasyPost team, “what are you going to do?”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

She gritted her teeth, and they placed Sforza on her back, and on the chill wind that still blew, she flew across the gap.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

To address shortfalls and long supply lines, the U.S. and Europe are trying to fill gaps in the market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

McElwee finds images both startling and serene; videos that fill in gaps he couldn’t on his own.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

Salary-transparency laws can “help narrow pay gaps and reduce wage discrimination” among demographic groups including women and people of color, said Keith Spencer, a career expert at ResumeNow.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

MBA senior research fellow Dr Bryce Stewart said: "Important and vulnerable shark species live in English waters, yet significant knowledge gaps remain regarding their distribution and abundance."

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

Mr. Griffiths told us that he wants to make sure we’re making good progress with our research and that we discover any gaps before our big presentations, only four weeks from now.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

Intel gapped up 24% on April 24 following a well-received earnings report, breaking out of a bull flag.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

I gapped the tappets and points, checked the oil, flipped the choke, hit the starter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

Before that could even be implemented, though, the end-of-the-shutdown rally began and the market gapped higher on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2025

The rouble gapped down to a 15-month low in Moscow.

From Reuters ● Jun. 26, 2023

Javier’s lighted tab file is still gapped open.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Kimberly-Clark’s acquisition of Kenvue sent the former gapping down to a key round-number level, while TreeHouse Foods is being taken out at nearly a 25% premium.

From Barron's ● Nov. 24, 2025

Barkley tallied on a 13-yard run through a gapping hole for New York’s TD.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 4, 2022

When I saw there was a certain amount of wedges into greens it was better to have four because it made the gapping easier to manage.

From Golf Digest ● Feb. 18, 2020

Their philosophy was to keep blockers off Urlacher with big, two gapping defensive linemen. 

From Chicago Tribune ● May 24, 2013

Cade Hernandez raised his right hand in front of his chin, nodding confidently and gapping his thumb and index finger about three-fourths of an inch.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• chasm
• crack
• cut
• difference
• disagreement
• disparity
• divergence
• divide
• division
• hole
• inconsistency
• rift
• void