deep

deep

adjective

Definition of DEEP

1

extending far downward <lowered their bucket down a deep well> <the ax made a deep cut into the wood>

Synonyms abysmal, bottomless, profound

Related Words abyssal, unfathomable; boundless, endless, immeasurable, inestimable, infinite, limitless, measureless, unlimited, vast

Near Antonyms depthless, two-dimensional; even, flat, flush, horizontal, level, plane, smooth; confined, finite, limited, measured, restricted

Antonyms shallow, shoal, skin-deep, superficial, surface

2

having a low musical pitch or range <the tour guide had an impressively deep voice>

Synonyms bass, grave, low, throaty

Related Words boomy, tubby; gruff, hoarse, husky, rough, smoky (also smokey)

Near Antonyms squeaking, squeaky, squealing, thin; earsplitting, penetrating, piercing, strident; peeping, tinny

Antonyms acute, high, high-pitched, piping, sharp, shrill, treble

3

being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain <a deep, dark secret that he took to his grave>

Synonyms arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic (also enigmatical), impenetrable, inscrutable, mystic, occult, uncanny

Related Words dark, darkling, fuzzy, murky, obscure, shadowy, vague; ambiguous, equivocal; imponderable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, unsearchable; inexplicable, unaccountable, unexplainable; unanswerable, unknowable; metaphysical, mystical, numinous, supernatural; abstruse, esoteric, recondite; baffling, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling

Near Antonyms fathomable, intelligible, understandable; apparent, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable

4

difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand <her poetry is now regarded as sentimental and not very deep>

Synonyms abstruse, arcane, deep, esoteric, hermetic (also hermetical), recondite

Related Words erudite, learned, scholarly; academic (also academical), pedantic; complex, complicated, hard; darkling, enigmatic (also enigmatical), inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, mystical, orphic, uncanny; impenetrable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible; ambiguous, cryptic; unanswerable, unknowable; baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling

Near Antonyms easy, facile, simple, straightforward; comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, understandable; apparent, clear, clear-cut, distinct, evident, lucid, manifest, obvious, perspicuous, plain, transparent

Antonyms shallow, superficial

5

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning <one of those deep passages in the Bible that can be interpreted in any number of different ways>

Synonyms ambiguous, arcane, cryptic, dark, deep, Delphic, double-edged, elliptical (or elliptic), enigmatic (also enigmatical), equivocal, fuliginous, inscrutable, murky, mysterious, mystic, nebulous, occult, opaque

Related Words abstruse, esoteric, recondite; cloaked, concealed, disguised, masked, shrouded; beclouded, bedimmed, befogged, clouded, cloudy, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, hazy, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, muddy, obfuscatory, obnubilated, obscurant (or obscurantic), shaded, shadowlike, shadowy, sphinxlike; indefinite, inexact, inexplicit, noncommittal, questionable, unclear, uncertain, undefined, undetermined, vague; impenetrable, incomprehensible, indecipherable, inexplicable; eerie (also eery), uncanny, weird; impalpable, inappreciable, intangible, invisible; unanswerable, unknowable; baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling, unfathomable; circuitous, indirect, roundabout; complex, complicated, difficult, obtuse

Near Antonyms comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, knowable, legible, pellucid, understandable; bright, distinct, evident, self-evident, self-explanatory; certain, firm, strong, sure; defined, determined; direct, straightforward; definite, exact, explicit; appreciable, palpable, tangible, visible; blatant, patent, unmistakable

Antonyms accessible, clear, nonambiguous, obvious, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal

6

extreme in degree, power, or effect <fell into a deep sleep after taking the potion>

Synonyms acute, almighty, blistering, deep, dreadful, excruciating, explosive, exquisite, fearful, fearsome, ferocious, fierce, frightful, furious, ghastly, hard, heavy, heavy-duty, hellacious, intensive, keen, profound, terrible, vehement, vicious, violent

Related Words accentuated, aggravated, concentrated, deepened; emphasized, enhanced, heightened, intensified, magnified; stressed; exhaustive, thorough; harsh, rigorous, severe

Near Antonyms feeble, weak; shallow, superficial; moderated, qualified; alleviated, eased, lightened, toned (down); abated, decreased, diminished, lessened, reduced, subdued

Antonyms light, moderate, soft

7

firmly established over time <a deep devotion to obtaining justice for all, even society's most disadvantaged>

Synonyms bred-in-the-bone, confirmed, deep, deep-rooted, deep-seated, entrenched (also intrenched), hard-core, rooted, settled

Related Words firm, fixed, frozen, hard, hard-and-fast, immutable, irradicable, set, unalterable, unchangeable; embedded (also imbedded), implanted, inculcated, instilled; inborn, inbred, ingrained (also engrained), inherent, innate, integral, intrinsic, natural; accustomed, chronic, customary, habitual, regular, typical, usual; abiding, enduring, lifelong, persistent, persisting

Near Antonyms brief, ephemeral, fleeting, impermanent, interim, momentary, provisional, short-lived, short-term, temporary, transient

8

having considerable extent <an economist with a deep understanding of the forces that propel the global economy>

Synonyms broad, deep, expansive, extended, far-flung, far-reaching, rangy, sweeping, wide, wide-ranging, widespread

Related Words comprehensive, general, global, inclusive; boundless, endless, infinite, limitless, unlimited; capacious, commodious, roomy, spacious

Near Antonyms circumscribed, limited, restricted

Antonyms narrow

9

having the mind fixed on something <I was so deep in the mystery novel that I didn't hear the doorbell>

Synonyms absorbed, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused (also focussed), immersed, intent, observant, rapt

Related Words engaged, interested, intrigued, involved; hypnotized, mesmerized; alert, alive, conscious, open-eyed, watchful, wide-awake

Near Antonyms daydreaming, dreamy, faraway, foggy, hazy, lost, oblivious, preoccupied, remote; apathetic, disinterested, uninterested

Antonyms absent, absentminded, abstracted, distracted, inattentive, inobservant, unabsorbed, unfocused (also unfocussed)

10

not close in time or space <an episode in her deep past that she had never spoken about, even to her husband>

Synonyms away, deep, far, faraway, far-flung, far-off, remote, removed

Related Words apart, devious, isolated, lonesome, nowhere, obscure, odd, outlying, out-of-the-way, retired, secluded, secret, sequestered

Near Antonyms adjacent, adjoining, contiguous

Antonyms close, near, nearby, nigh