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

The blood test is meant to address the gap in diagnoses, as an estimated 75% of people living with dementia are undiagnosed, Roche said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“At that time, I saw a gap that needed to be filled in the market,” Graves, who named the restaurant after his dog, told me.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

St. Louis renters typically find it easy to transition into homeownership, Helbig said, since the gap between renting and paying a mortgage isn’t that wide.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026

Borrowing, the gap between what the government spends and what it takes in tax receipts, was £1.8bn in July, two thirds higher than the same month last year.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

There is always a tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of the next.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Thin stellar streams may be especially valuable because small concentrations of dark matter can potentially disturb them, producing visible gaps or clumps.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

Effectively addressing export misinvoicing could plug gaps in the government’s revenue as well as improve Indonesia’s external position, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a recent note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

It aims to help companies bridge expertise gaps "to move towards real-world application", said Zhao Han, deputy director of the ZJU institute behind the school.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Bradnam said he had not received any "formal response" to his complaints, nor any "confirmation that my recommendations have been implemented or that the assurance gaps they identified have been addressed".

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

We made the most of the gaps in his schedule, having meals and seeing friends.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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

She moved forward stiffly, her gapped mouth open wide as she guffawed.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

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

This climate allows adhesive to dry more quickly and prevents gapping between freshly placed boards.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2022

After his second win, coming at the Sony Open in January, Kizzire told Golf Digest that the Titleist 718 T-MB 4-iron helped with gapping, while also providing the height he needs.

From Golf Digest ● Jul. 9, 2018

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