Breach vs. Gap — What's the Difference?

An opening, tear, or rupture.

An opening in a solid structure or surface; a cleft or breach

A gap or rift, especially in a solid structure such as a dike or fortification.

A break in a line of defense.

A violation or infraction, as of a contract, law, legal obligation, or promise.

An opening through mountains; a pass.

A breaking up or disruption of friendly relations; an estrangement.

A space between objects or points; an aperture

A leap of a whale from the water.

An interruption of continuity

The breaking of waves or surf.

A conspicuous difference or imbalance; a disparity

To make a hole or gap in; break through.

A problematic situation resulting from such a disparity

To break or violate (an agreement, for example).

A spark gap.

To leap from the water

To make an opening or openings in

To develop a hole or opening. Used especially of protective embankments

To make or adjust a space between (objects or points) or in (a device)

A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence

To be or become open

A breaking up of amicable relations, a falling-out.

An opening in anything made by breaking or parting.

A breaking of waters, as over a vessel or a coastal defence; the waters themselves

An opening allowing passage or entrance.

A breaking out upon; an assault.

An opening that implies a breach or defect.

(archaic) A bruise; a wound.

A vacant space or time.

(archaic) A hernia; a rupture.

A hiatus, a pause in something which is otherwise continuous.

(legal) A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment

A vacancy, deficit, absence, or lack.

(figurative) A difference in opinions, social class etc.

A mountain or hill pass.

The act of breaking, in a figurative sense.

(Sussex) A sheltered area of coast between two cliffs (mostly restricted to place names).

(transitive) To make a breach in.

(baseball) The regions between the outfielders.

(transitive) To violate or break.

The shortfall between the amount the medical insurer will pay to the service provider and the scheduled fee for the item.

To break into a ship or into a coastal defence.

(AU) (usually written as "the gap") The disparity between the indigenous and non-indigenous communities with regard to life expectancy, education, health, etc.

To leap out of the water.

(genetics) An unsequenced region in a sequence alignment.

To charge or convict (someone) of breaching the terms of a bail, probation, recognizance, etc.

(transitive) To notch, as a sword or knife.

The act of breaking, in a figurative sense.

(transitive) To make an opening in; to breach.

Specifically: A breaking or infraction of a law, or of any obligation or tie; violation; non-fulfillment; as, a breach of contract; a breach of promise.

(transitive) To check the size of a gap.

A gap or opening made made by breaking or battering, as in a wall or fortification; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence; a break; a rupture.

To leave suddenly.

A breaking of waters, as over a vessel; the waters themselves; surge; surf.

An opening in anything made by breaking or parting; as, a gap in a fence; an opening for a passage or entrance; an opening which implies a breach or defect; a vacant space or time; a hiatus; a mountain pass.

A breaking up of amicable relations; rupture.

The vertical distance between two superposed surfaces, esp. in a biplane.

A bruise; a wound.

To notch, as a sword or knife.

A hernia; a rupture.

To make an opening in; to breach.

A breaking out upon; an assault.

A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures;

To make a breach or opening in; as, to breach the walls of a city.

An open or empty space in or between things;

To break the water, as by leaping out; - said of a whale.

A narrow opening;

A failure to perform some promised act or obligation

A pass between mountain peaks

An opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification)

An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity;

A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions);

Make an opening or gap in

Act in disregard of laws and rules;

Make an opening or gap in