gap year

noun

: a one-year hiatus from academic studies to allow for nonacademic activities

Examples of gap year in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That is where an adult gap year changes everything. — Suzanne Roske, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 So congrats to all on your mandatory gap years. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026 That reframing matters because most adult gap years are self-funded. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026 Her plan after graduation was to take a gap year with the intention of going to physician assistant school. — Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gap year

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gap year was in 1978

Rhymes for gap year

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Browse Nearby Words

gap-toothed
gap year
gar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gap year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gap%20year. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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