What does "gulf" mean?
A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.
Gulf
/ɡʌlf/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.
- Grammar: gulf is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abysm, abyss, abysses, alienate.
- Useful contrasts: agreement, bridge, continent.
- Usage evidence: The Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
How to use "gulf"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gulf" 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 "gulf" 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 "gulf" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gulf" 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 "gulf" is acting as name, 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 "abysm" 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 "gulf", 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 A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.
"He then surveyed / Hell and the gulf between."
- 2 an unbridgeable disparity (as from a failure of understanding) wordnet
- 3 That which swallows; the gullet. obsolete
"Witch's mummy, maw and gulf / Of the ravined salt sea shark,"
- 4 a deep wide chasm wordnet
- 5 That which swallows irretrievably; a whirlpool; a sucking eddy.
"[T]here is no such mine, / None; but a gulf of ruin, swallowing gold, not making."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 an arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay wordnet
- 7 A portion of an ocean or sea extending into the land; a partially landlocked sea
"the Gulf of Mexico"
- 8 A large deposit of ore in a lode.
- 9 A wide interval or gap; a separating space. figuratively
"Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed."
- 10 A difference, especially a large difference, between groups. figuratively
"England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco."
- 11 The bottom part of a list of those awarded a degree, for those who have only just passed.
"Some ten or fifteen men just on the line, not enough to be plucked or good enough to be placed, are put into the "gulf," as it is popularly called (the Examiners' phrase is "Degrees allowed"), and have their degrees given to them but are not printed in the calendar, nor were they at this time allowed to try for the Classical Tripos."
Verb
- 1 To engulf. transitive
"[…] if with thee the roaring wells Should gulf him fathom-deep in brine; And hands so often clasp’d in mine, Should toss with tangle and with shells."
- 2 To award a degree to somebody who has only just passed sufficiently. transitive
"The mention of gulfed and plucked men brings me back to myself."
Proper Noun
- 1 The Persian Gulf, or the region surrounding it.
"Gulf States"
- 2 The Gulf of Mexico, or the region surrounding it.
"Gulf States"
Antonyms
Example
"The Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gulf"?
Common synonyms include: abysm, abyss, abysses, alienate, aperture, arm.
How do you use "gulf" in a sentence?
The Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
How do you pronounce "gulf"?
Pronounced /ɡʌlf/.
Etymology
From Middle English gulf, goulf, golf, from Old French golf, from Italian golfo, from Late Latin colfos, from Ancient Greek κόλπος (kólpos, “bosom, gulf”), of obscure origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp- (“to curve, arch”).