What does "gooseneck" mean?
Anything with a slender curved shape, resembling the neck of a goose, such as the shaft of some lamps.
Gooseneck
/ˈɡusˌnɛk/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Anything with a slender curved shape, resembling the neck of a goose, such as the shaft of some lamps.
- Grammar: gooseneck is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: adjustable joint, boom fitting, boom joint, curved neck.
- Useful contrasts: fixed mount, rigid joint, straight joint.
- Usage evidence: Gooseneck barnacles sweep the water with their feathery legs to catch plankton.
How to use "gooseneck"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gooseneck" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gooseneck" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gooseneck" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gooseneck" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gooseneck" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adjustable joint" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gooseneck", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Anything with a slender curved shape, resembling the neck of a goose, such as the shaft of some lamps. attributive, often
"A gooseneck lamp can be swiveled around an object, allowing a good examination of all its surfaces."
- 2 something in a thin curved form (like the neck of a goose) wordnet
- 3 The swivel connection on a sailboat located near the bottom of the mast that the boom attaches to. When a sailboat performs a tack or a jibe the gooseneck swings the boom from one side of the boat to the other.
"The port-brace, and immediately afterwards the starboard-brace, of the crojack-yard--carried away. This was the big, lowest spar on the mizzen, and as the huge thing of steel swung wildly back and forth the gangster and his followers turned and crouched as they looked up to see. Next, the gooseneck of the truss, on which it pivoted, smashed away. Immediately the lifts and lower-topsail sheets parted, and with a fore-and-aft pitch of the ship the spar up-ended and crashed to the deck upon Number Three hatch, destroying that section of the bridge in its fall."
- 4 Ellipsis of gooseneck barnacle. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
- 5 Ellipsis of gooseneck loosestrife. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Verb
- 1 To seal (a bag) securely by twisting, folding, and cinching or taping. transitive
Synonyms
All synonyms adjustable jointboom fittingboom jointcurved neckflexible jointgoose neck
Antonyms
fixed mountrigid jointstraight jointstraight neck
Example
"Gooseneck barnacles sweep the water with their feathery legs to catch plankton."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gooseneck"?
Common synonyms include: adjustable joint, boom fitting, boom joint, curved neck, flexible joint, goose neck.
How do you use "gooseneck" in a sentence?
Gooseneck barnacles sweep the water with their feathery legs to catch plankton.
How do you pronounce "gooseneck"?
Pronounced /ˈɡusˌnɛk/.
Etymology
From goose + neck.