😮 Mouth wide open 🕳️ Very wide open

gaping

3.2

With the mouth wide open in surprise or wonder

adjective
/ˈɡeɪpɪŋ/

: boquiabierto

You know, this, as you rightly mentioned, issued forth from the gaping mouth of of Arlen Specter.

Yeah, jaw gaping monkey is gay.

Examples

Staring down at me with that same gaping smile.
And it no longer feels like an open gaping wound.
There are wounds in you that are gaping, wounds that are open.
The great Agamemnon ready to hold up a cup in celebration or put rich food into his mouth, his gaping mouth relieved that he was home.
The audience was gaping in awe at the magician's amazing performance.
She stood there with her gaping mouth, unable to believe what she had just seen.
His gaping mouth revealed his shock when he heard the unexpected news.

Synonyms

surprised

vsgaping

357 1.0

Feeling sudden wonder when something unexpected happens

is more about the mouth's wide open expression than the inner reaction

amazed

vsgaping

138 1.0

Very surprised in a way that shows wonder

is mainly a visible wide mouth showing wonder rather than internal feeling

flabbergasted

vsgaping

9 6.7

Very surprised and unable to speak

is a visible wide open mouth showing wonder less intense than extreme shock

agape

vsgaping

3 6.9

Having the mouth open because of surprise or wonder

is also mouth open wide but focuses more on awe than amazement

openmouthed

vsgaping

1 4.1

With your mouth open because you are very surprised

is about a wide open mouth especially showing strong wonder

widemouthed

vsgaping

4.2

Having the mouth open wide because of surprise or wonder

is similar but highlights wonder or awe rather than general shock

Antonyms

closed

3 1.0

Shut so people cannot go in or see

How Wide

gaping

3.2

open

∞ 1.0

ajar

3 1.2

Surface Forms

gaping positive

Morphology

gaping = gape (transparent) = gape + ing

The adjective is the present participle of the verb 'gape' and its meaning ('with the mouth wide open' or 'wide open') is directly derived.

Etymology

Gaping comes from an Old English verb gape, which meant 'to open the mouth' or 'to yawn'. So to be gaping in wonder is like having your mouth wide open in surprise.