stopgap

American  

[stop-gap] / ˈstɒpˌgæp /

noun

1. something that fills the place of something else that is lacking; temporary substitute; makeshift.

   Candles are a stopgap when the electricity fails.

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adjective

1. makeshift.

   This is only a stopgap solution.

   Synonyms:

   impromptu, substitute, temporary, improvised

stopgap British  

/ ˈstɒpˌɡæp /

noun

1. 1. a temporary substitute for something else

   2. ( as modifier )

      a stopgap programme

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Etymology

Origin of stopgap

First recorded in 1525–35; noun, adj. use of verb phrase stop a gap

Example Sentences

But stopgap measures can only go so far.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

Any solution you can find to the woes of space is essentially a stopgap measure designed to keep astronauts relatively healthy for six-month stretches.

From Slate • Mar. 1, 2026

What was once a Depression-era stopgap, then a wartime necessity, has become a pillar of the moviegoing experience and the film business itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Even if both sides reach a stopgap agreement, experts said the prospects of a long-term arms control treaty remained murky.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

He was succeeded by Gregory XV, an elderly stopgap who himself died in 1623, when things seemed at last to be going better for Galileo.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• Band-Aid