as in ocean
an immeasurable depth or space
looking down at the dark ocean from the ship's rail, the cruise passenger felt as though he was staring into an abyss
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Recent Examples of abyss
Overall, its candidates continue to lean left, but the party is mostly avoiding a tumble into the abyss.
—
Henry Olsen, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2026
In June, when the surface temperatures of the rock deep inside the abyss can claw toward 170 degrees — hot enough to kill a rattlesnake caught in the open in a few minutes — the Kaibab offers a cool reprieve.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Throughout his career as a public scholar, Ehrlich was never afraid to look into the abyss.
—The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
The former shows a figurine of a young woman rolling through a pinball machine that throws her in different directions and down chutes, always seemingly on the precipice of falling into an abyss.
—Jada Yuan, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abyss
Henry Olsen, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2026
In June, when the surface temperatures of the rock deep inside the abyss can claw toward 170 degrees — hot enough to kill a rattlesnake caught in the open in a few minutes — the Kaibab offers a cool reprieve.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Throughout his career as a public scholar, Ehrlich was never afraid to look into the abyss.
—The Conversation, 16 Mar. 2026
The former shows a figurine of a young woman rolling through a pinball machine that throws her in different directions and down chutes, always seemingly on the precipice of falling into an abyss.
—Jada Yuan, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for abyss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abyss
Noun
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These deep-ocean predators swim through near-freezing Arctic waters at a pace that barely registers.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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China is leading a race to collect metal-rich nodules from the ocean floor, resources seen as key to clean energy.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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An Unexplained Gap The first round apparently revealed a glaring chasm between public and proprietary efforts.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 Mar. 2026
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If anything, bad dates are exemplary of the chasm that invariably exists between nonfiction and real life, between text and flesh (and, on occasion, between photo and flesh).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Kharg is just one of dozens of Iranian islands in the gulf, and others may be more important to securing the safe passage of ships – and naval vessels – through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
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Iran has responded to attacks by the United States and Israel with strikes against Israel and neighboring gulf Arab states.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Perched just beyond the Bay Area’s eastern edge, this expanse of fields, orchards, subdivisions and big-box stores offers few opportunities for ambitious young professionals interested in industries such as tech and finance.—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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The expanse of the American West lends a scope and majesty to the frame, while smooth transitions between 2D and 3D animation make the horse-racing scenes exhilarating.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Carrot seeds are tiny and should not be sown more than 1/4-inch deep.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
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The end of each leg contains a ballast that extends to around 20 meters (65 ft) deep.—
Etiido Uko
March 13,
New Atlas,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abyss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyss. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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