gulf

1 of 2

noun

ˈgəlf 

1

: a part of an ocean or sea extending into the land

2

: a deep chasm : abyss

3

: whirlpool

4

: a wide gap

the gulf between generations

gulf

2 of 2

verb

gulfed; gulfing; gulfs

transitive verb

: engulf

Synonyms

Noun

• arm
• bay
• bight
• cove
• creek [chiefly British]
• embayment
• estuary
• firth
• fjord
• fiord
• inlet
• loch [Scottish]

Verb

• deluge
• drown
• engulf
• flood
• inundate
• overflow
• overwhelm
• submerge
• submerse
• swamp

Examples of gulf in a Sentence

Noun

we dipped our feet in the warm waters of the gulf

the gulf of understanding between the two men was too wide for them to ever get along

Verb

with the administration gulfed by so many real problems, it's absurd for the president to concern himself with this nonissue

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The game further illustrated the enormous gulf between the Sharks and Stanley Cup-contending teams like the Stars. —Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2025

There is also a huge gulf in trade-in prices between the U.S. and Europe, with American shoppers receiving far better deals than their European counterparts. —Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Verb

So many gulfs separate us now: geographical, anatomical, psychological. —Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian, 8 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English goulf, from Middle French golfe, from Italian golfo, from Late Latin colpus, from Greek kolpos bosom, gulf; akin to Old English hwealf vault, Old High German walbo

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gulf

noun

ˈgəlf

1

: a part of an ocean or sea extending into the land

2

: a deep hollow in the earth : chasm, abyss

3

: a difference between two people, groups, or things