stopgap

noun

stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap How to pronounce stopgap (audio)
often attributive
: something that serves as a temporary expedient : makeshift
stopgap measures
Choose the Right Synonym for stopgap

resource, resort, expedient, shift, makeshift, stopgap mean something one turns to in the absence of the usual means or source of supply.

resource and resort apply to anything one falls back upon.

exhausted all of their resources
a last resort

expedient may apply to any device or contrivance used when the usual one is not at hand or not possible.

a flimsy expedient

shift implies a tentative or temporary imperfect expedient.

desperate shifts to stave off foreclosure

makeshift implies an inferior expedient adopted because of urgent need or allowed through indifference.

old equipment employed as a makeshift

stopgap applies to something used temporarily as an emergency measure.

a new law intended only as a stopgap

Examples of stopgap in a Sentence

The new law is intended only as a stopgap. the coach we have now was only hired as a stopgap until someone with more experience is found
Recent Examples on the Web Much of the stopgap spending measure signed by President Joe Biden on Friday to keep the government's lights on was tied up in an abrupt fight over increasing college financial aid. Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024 This stopgap bill will shift the deadlines to March 8 and March 22 to give lawmakers more time to pass full-year appropriations bills. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Although lawmakers have been aiming to approve all 12 spending bills to fund the government for fiscal year 2024, after already passing three stopgap measures to keep the government funded, another funding patch appears likely as the deadline draws near and the disagreements persist. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2024 That has required Johnson to lean instead on the House’s Democratic minority to move legislation, including two previous stopgap government funding measures — further upsetting the hard-right caucus. Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024 Congress pushes funding deadlines back again Congress passed its third stopgap funding bill since September, averting a partial government shutdown this weekend and pushing funding deadlines back to March. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 And so now Congress is facing another budget showdown here because the last stopgap measure is expiring next month. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 Still, the two chambers appear to be trying to get the spending bills finished without relying on another stopgap measure, however unlikely, as the political will for another short-term solution wears thin. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2024 House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully pushed for Johnson to add a last-minute border amendment to the stopgap funding bill. Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 19 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stopgap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stopgap was in 1684

Dictionary Entries Near stopgap

Cite this Entry

“Stopgap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stopgap. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stopgap

noun
stop·​gap ˈstäp-ˌgap How to pronounce stopgap (audio)
: something that fills a gap : a temporary substitute

More from Merriam-Webster on stopgap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!