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deep

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noun

1
as in midst
the most intense or characteristic phase of something the kind of cold weather that we usually have only in the deep of winter

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in sea
the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three-fourths of the earth sailors exploring the farther reaches of the briny deep

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deep different from other adjectives like it?

The words broad and wide are common synonyms of deep. While all three words mean "having horizontal extent," deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point.

a deep cupboard
deep woods

Where would broad be a reasonable alternative to deep?

The meanings of broad and deep largely overlap; however, broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered.

broad shoulders

When is it sensible to use wide instead of deep?

In some situations, the words wide and deep are roughly equivalent. However, wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned, or when applied to unfilled space between limits.

rugs eight feet wide
a wide doorway

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deep
Adjective
But instruments onboard the spacecraft weren't designed to distinguish between molecules forged in the moon's presumably deep ocean and those cooked up in the icy shell. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025 The Yankees seem destined for October, but Volpe's struggles could keep them from making a deep run. Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
Pour enough of the batter into the prepared baking dish to cover the bottom with a layer about 1/4-inch deep. Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 5 June 2025 Rick Carlisle routinely stretches his rotation to 11 deep. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for deep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deep
Adjective
  • By the time the credits roll, Sound of Metal avoids all of the tired clichés that typically come from this sort of low-budget undertaking, and achieves something more introspective and, much like the hardest and most profound journeys in life, unresolved.
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The shift has profound implications in House districts across the country, seeping into Democratic primaries as a possible liability for more centrist members.
    David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The report said that water storage in Washington’s five reservoirs in the Yakima River Basin has dropped sharply, bringing levels, at times, to some of the lowest measured since record-keeping started in 1971.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The ultra-low-cost model clearly isn't providing customer satisfaction, even if the fares look cheap.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With the head of the Demon Corps in danger, Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to the headquarters but are plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Beyond this, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-Ray observatory also studied this spiral galaxy repeatedly and found mysterious regions known as ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs).
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, tenure, even in the best schools, gets rewarded to professors who write articles filled with complex math or esoteric theories in sociology and psychology.
    Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • While the syntax of esoteric languages may be hard to understand, the actual programming stack is often wonderfully simple.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike Europe's clear regulatory framework under PSD2, American enterprises operate in a more ambiguous environment where implementation decisions must account for evolving compliance requirements and uncertain regulatory timelines.
    Dave Glaser, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Dani's on-again, off-again relationship with playboy photographer Andre — who's also her sister's ex's nephew — has become more ambiguous than ever in recent weeks.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Pyongyang has continued to exercise significant control over the population and severely restrict the rights and freedoms of its population, and that has only gotten more intense over the last decade.
    Mike Brest, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This question — which strikes at the heart of a perennial issue in American politics, frequently reignited by recurring mass shootings — sparked an intense partisan divide.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The transition from film to digital may have reshaped the tools, but the core of the work remains rooted in judgment, responsibility, intuition, and a keen eye for detail; all characteristics Gustafson incorporates in every project at Environmental Image Group.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Valdostan cuisine is hearty and rooted in the landscape—think wild game, rich polenta, mountain herbs, and plenty of Fontina DOP, the region’s beloved cheese with Protected Designation of Origin status.
    Erica Firpo, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Add in the possibility of more extensive – and costly – work such as bridges, crowns, extractions or implants, and the anxiety can grow even stronger.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Since marrying Horace at the end of Episode 1, Kimmie has conducted extensive research on Beauty in Black and has been under the mentorship of her husband, who is still alive and currently in Italy, undergoing experimental cancer treatment.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deep. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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