Stopgap measures won't make a dent in drug addiction.
Source: tatoeba (46216)
Stopgap
/ˈstɒpɡæp/
Synonyms for "stopgap" (161 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (33)
Adjective(1 words)
acting turn
actionad hocad hoc measuread libad libitumad-libad-libbingalternatealternativeanswerarrangementartificebackupband-aidbungcheck valvecockcontrivancecorkcounterfeit
Strong matches (48)
emergencyequivalentersatzexcuseexpediencyexpedientextemporaneousextemporaneousnessextemporarinessextemporaryextemporeextemporizationfakefaucetgimmickimitationimpromptuimprovisationimprovisationalimprovisatorial
Show 16 more words
improviseimprovisedimprovisionimprovisojury rigjury riggedjury-rigjury-riggedjury-rigged expedientlast expedientlast resortlast shiftlidmakeshiftmakeshiftymaneuver
Noun(11 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (80)
meansmeans to an endmeasuremockmoveoff-the-cuffoffhandpegphonypinpinchpis allerplaying by earplugpro temporeprovisionalproxyrecourserefugereserve
Show 40 more words
resortresourcerough-and-readyrough-and-tumblesea cocksecondaryshake upshake-upshiftsolutionsparespigotspikespilespillstepstopstopperstopplestratagemstringstrokestroke of policysubstitutetactictaptemporarytemporary arrangementtemporary expedienttemporary measuretentativetokentricktrumpunrehearsedutilityvalvevicariousworking hypothesisworking proposition
Noun(15 words)
nonce prepositionplaceholderpoulticeprovisionalshimsshortcutsstand-intemptemporarytemporary effecttemporary fixtemporary remedytide overworkaroundworkarounds
Adjective(5 words)
temporary associationtemporary changetemporary lonelinesstemporary methodtemporary release
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: makeshift, acting turn, action, ad hoc, ad hoc.
- Sentence evidence is available for stopgap, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "stopgap".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "stopgap"
Keep "stopgap" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "stopgap" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "stopgap", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "stopgap" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
11 entriesacting headad hoc policyband aid solutionband-aid solutioninterim contractorinterim fixmakeshift remedypatchwork measuretemporary appointeetemporary fixtemporary measure
Collocations
8 entriesband aid solutioninterim stopgapshort term stopgapstopgap approachstopgap arrangementstopgap fundingstopgap measurestopgap solution
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
26 translations across 15 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- временна мярка noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Catalan
1 entries- tapaforats noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 權宜之計 /权宜之计 noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Czech
1 entries- provizorium noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Dutch
2 entries- lapmiddel noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- lapzalven verb (to use something as a short-term fix or temporary measure until a better alternative can be obtained)
Finnish
1 entries- hätävara noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
French
3 entries- bouche-trou noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- pis-aller noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- rustine noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
German
4 entries- Lochstopfer noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- Lückenbüßer noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- Lückenfüller noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- Notlösung noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Hungarian
1 entries- sufnituning noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Ido
1 entries- remediacho noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Italian
1 entries- palliativo noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Japanese
2 entries- 対症療法 noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- 對症療法 noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Latvian
1 entries- tapa noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Polish
2 entries- prowizorka noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- zapchajdziura noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Spanish
4 entries- paliativo noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- parche noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- paños calientes noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
- remiendo noun (short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained)
Sample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Tom saw his job as a pump attendant as a stopgap measure until a better one came up.
Source: tatoeba (3253217)
Mary was only ever Tom's stopgap for when Jane didn't have time for him.
Source: tatoeba (10036167)
All Mary ever was for Tom was a stopgap for when Jane didn't have time for him.
Source: tatoeba (10036173)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "stopgap"?
Closest matches include makeshift, acting turn, action, ad hoc, ad hoc.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "stopgap"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.