- wide open; extremely wide: a gaping hole
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
gaping /ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/ adj
gape /geɪp, gæp/USA pronunciation
v., gaped/geɪpt, gæpt/USA pronunciation gap•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to stare with the mouth wide open, as in shock, wonder, or surprise:[~ + at + object]The tourists gaped at the tall buildings.
- to open or spread widely;
split:[no object]The canyon gaped before them.
gape
(gāp, gap),USA pronunciation v., gaped, gap•ing, n.
v.i.
n.
gap′ing•ly, adv.
v.i.
- to stare with open mouth, as in wonder.
- to open the mouth wide involuntarily, as the result of hunger, sleepiness, or absorbed attention.
- to open as a gap;
split or become open wide.
n.
- a wide opening;
gap;
breach. - an act or instance of gaping.
- a stare, as in astonishment or with the mouth wide open.
- a yawn.
- [Zool.]the width of the open mouth.
- Old Norse gapa to open the mouth wide; compare German gaffen
- Middle English 1175–1225
- 1. See gaze. 2. 3. yawn.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
gape /ɡeɪp/ vb (intransitive)
- to stare in wonder or amazement, esp with the mouth open
- to open the mouth wide, esp involuntarily, as in yawning or hunger
- to be or become wide open: the crater gaped under his feet
- the act of gaping
- a wide opening; breach
- the width of the widely opened mouth of a vertebrate
- a stare or expression of astonishment
'gaping' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):