Meaning & use
gapes
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Stares openly with the mouth wide open, typically in astonishment, wonder, or confusion (third-person singular of "gape").
See it in a sentence
The tourist gapes at the towering cathedral ceiling.
He gapes in disbelief every time she tells one of her outrageous stories.
A note on using this word
As a plural noun, "the gapes" also names a disease in young poultry caused by parasitic worms that make the birds gasp with open beaks.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
A respiratory disease in young poultry caused by gapeworms, causing gasping with the beak open.
The farmer treated the chicks for the gapes after noticing their labored breathing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gapes”, then compare your use with the examples above.