chasm

noun

ˈka-zəm 

1

: a deep cleft in the surface of a planet (such as the earth) : gorge

built a bridge over the chasm

2

: a marked division, separation, or difference

the chasm between the rich and the poor

Synonyms of chasm

• abyss
• ocean

Examples of chasm in a Sentence

a chasm in the ocean floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Whether that’s actually true or not, there is still a massive chasm between where Thompson currently stands and what he’s being paid to be. — Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Process This widening chasm between the desire to cook outside and the realities of modern life has helped fuel interest in electric grilling. — William Jones, USA Today, 20 July 2026

But these were modest margins relative to the chasm that separated the USMNT and eventual world champions Brazil in their 1994 meeting at the same stage, or even the 2014 team that was eliminated by a better version of Belgium than this one. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

The chasm between the two grades could widen even further to around a dollar a gallon by the end of the year, De Haan said, even as crude costs ease overall. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin chasma, from Greek; akin to Latin hiare to yawn — more at yawn

First Known Use

circa 1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chasm

• bronchospasm
• cytoplasm
• ectoplasm
• neoplasm
• protoplasm
• vasospasm
• chiasm
• nazim
• plasm
• spasm
• enthusiasm
• iconoclasm

Kids Definition

chasm

noun

ˈkaz-əm 

: a deep split or gap in the earth