stopgap

Meanings

Plural: stopgaps

Noun

something contrived to meet an urgent need or emergency
That which stops up or fills a gap or hole.
Something spoken to fill up an uncomfortable pause in speech; a filled pause or filler.
A short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained; that which serves as an expedient in an emergency; a band-aid solution.
A short-term fix or temporary measure used until something better can be obtained; that which serves as an expedient in an emergency; a band-aid solution.
A person appointed or hired to fill a position temporarily until a permanent appointment or hire can be made; a temp.

Adj

Short-term; temporary.
Filling a gap or pause.

Verb

To stop up or fill (a physical gap or hole, or a hiatus).
To use something as a short-term fix or temporary measure until a better alternative can be obtained.
To use something as a short-term fix or temporary measure until a better alternative can be obtained.
To work at a position temporarily until a permanent appointment or hire is made.

Origin / Etymology

The noun is derived from stop (“to close or block (an opening)”) + gap, from the phrase to stop a gap. The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun, and the verb is derived from the noun.

Synonyms

band-aid, band-aid solution, bandaid, bodge, cludge, fiddle, fillgap, hack, hack job, interim, jugaad, kludge, kluge, lash-up, make-do, makeshift, patch, patch-up, put-together, quick fix, quick-and-dirty, stopgap, workaround

Scrabble Score: 12

stopgap is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
stopgap is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
stopgap is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

stopgap is a valid Words With Friends word