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.
After graduating, Franco’s son plans on taking a gap year to figure out his next chapter. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 29 May 2025 Sial said many of his classmates are exploring backup plans, including transferring or taking a gap year, as their ability to remain in the U.S. is threatened. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025 Now His Memory Lives On in a Journal His Sister Left Behind Plant was due to take a gap year before going on to study finance at the University of Winchester at the time of her death, per BBC News. Escher Walcott, People.com, 7 May 2025 Fans braced for a long gap year, hoped for another high draft pick and focused on all the cap space their team would have in the offseason. Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gap year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gap%20year. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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