abyss

noun \ ə-ˈbis , a- also ˈa-(ˌ)bis \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of abyss

1 a : an immeasurably deep gulf or great space

gazed down into the gaping abyss

the ocean's abysses

(figurative) a widening abyss between the rich and the poor

b : intellectual or moral depths

an abyss of moral depravity

an abyss of despair

2 : the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the old cosmogonies

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Examples of abyss in a Sentence

looking down at the dark ocean from the ship's rail, the cruise passenger felt as though he was staring into an abyss

Recent Examples of abyss from the Web

For the victims, black-ice accidents resemble Alpine falls: a silent slip, and a terrifying slide into the abyss.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Black Ice, Near-Death, and Transcendence on I-91," 2 Apr. 2018
Woods, however, has returned from the abyss of scandal and debilitating back pain.

— steve dimeglio, USA TODAY, "Masters: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson have shot at history for over-40 set," 2 Apr. 2018
That put the company in an abyss from which there was no mistake and now 43,000 people are out of work.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "The Correction Matters. The Reporting Matters, Too.," 16 Mar. 2018
The Orioles’ most ardent supporters fretted not just about the team’s threadbare starting rotation and long playoff odds for 2018 but about the prospect of drifting back into the abyss of losing that swallowed the franchise from 1998 to 2011.

— childs walker, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles fans feeling brighter about Opening Day after Alex Cobb signing," 28 Mar. 2018
And for those who go out of their way to make their kind seem whole without lending that same trait to nonwhite victims, feel free to leap into the abyss.

— michael arceneaux, Essence.com, "'He Was Kind And Quiet:' On Racism, Humanity And How White Terrorists Are Often Treated Better Than Their Victims," 23 Mar. 2018
Human nature quickly filled it up, shoveling all manner of score-settling accusations, hypotheticals, dark memories of past problems and other dire forms of hand-wringing into the abyss.

— christopher knight, latimes.com, "MOCA still mum about curator's firing, despite crucial questions and too few answers," 20 Mar. 2018
Just last year, Mental Floss reported that deep-sea scientists found a faceless fish in the Australian abyss.

— julissa treviño, Smithsonian, "Why Doesn’t This Toad Have a Face?," 6 Mar. 2018
To reach into the abyss and somehow make contact with the unknown is both terrifying and miraculous, but even more terrifying and miraculous, is to reach into yourself and somehow make contact with your fellow man.

— julia gray, Billboard, "Andrew W.K. Named Person of the Year by American Association Of Suicidology," 21 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abyss.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of abyss

borrowed from Late Latin abyssus, borrowed from Greek ábyssos "bottomless, unfathomable, (as noun) bottomless gulf," from a- ²a- + byssós "depth of the sea," probably going back to *byth-yos, derivative of bythós "depth, deepest part, bottom," probably of pre-Greek substratal origin

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First Known Use: 14th century

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