deep

adjective

\ ˈdēp

Definition of deep

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : extending far from some surface or area: such as

a : extending far downward a deep well a deep chasm

b(1) : extending well inward from an outer surface a deep gash a deep-chested animal

(2) : not located superficially within the body deep pressure receptors in muscles

c : extending well back from a surface accepted as front a deep closet

d : extending far laterally from the center deep borders of lace

e sports : occurring or located near the outer limits of the playing area hit to deep right field

f sports : thrown or hit for a considerable distance : thrown or hit deep (see deep entry 2 sense 3b) a deep pass a deep fly ball

2 : having a specified extension in an implied direction usually downward or backward a shelf 20 inches deep cars parked three-deep

3a : difficult to penetrate or comprehend : recondite deep mathematical problems deep discussions on the meaning of life

b : mysterious, obscure a deep dark secret

c : grave or lamentable in nature or effect in deepest disgrace

d : of penetrating intellect : wise a deep thinker

e : intensely engrossed or immersed she was deep in her book

f : characterized by profundity of feeling or quality a deep sleep also : deep-seated deep religious beliefs

4a of color : high in saturation and low in lightness a deep red

b : having a low musical pitch (see pitch entry 4 sense 4b) or pitch range a deep voice

5a : situated well within the boundaries a house deep in the woods

b : remote in time or space found deep in rural England

c : being below the level of consciousness deep neuroses

d : covered, enclosed, or filled to a specified degree —usually used in combination ankle-deep in mud

6 : large deep discounts

7 : having many good players a deep bull pen

in deep water

: in difficulty or distress

deep

adverb

Definition of deep (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : to a great depth : deeply still waters run deep tunneled deep into the earth

2 : far on : late danced deep into the night

3 sports

a : near the outer limits of the playing area the shortstop was playing deep

b : long sense 6 threw deep to the wide receiver hit the ball deep to right field

deep

noun

Definition of deep (Entry 3 of 3)

1a : a vast or immeasurable extent : abyss

b(1) : the extent of surrounding space or time the azure deep

(2) nautical : ocean the briny deep

2 : any of the deep portions of a body of water specifically : a generally long and narrow area in the ocean where the depth exceeds 3000 fathoms (5500 meters) the Aldrich Deep in the south Pacific

3 : the middle or most intense part in the deep of winter

4 nautical : any of the fathom points on a sounding line other than the marks (see mark entry 1 sense 2b)

Other Words from deep Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deep

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for deep

Synonyms: Adjective

abysmal, bottomless, profound

Synonyms: Noun

depth, height, middle, midst, thick

Antonyms: Adjective

shallow, shoal, skin-deep, superficial, surface

Choose the Right Synonym for deep

Adjective

broad, wide, deep mean having horizontal extent. broad and wide apply to a surface measured or viewed from side to side. a broad avenue wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned rugs eight feet wide or applied to unfilled space between limits. a wide doorway broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered. broad shoulders deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point. a deep cupboard deep woods

Examples of deep in a Sentence

Adjective

We walked in the deep snow. a deep valley between the mountains The water is deepest in the middle of the lake. She's afraid of swimming in deep water. a plant with deep roots The house has lots of deep closets. She has a small but deep wound on her arm. This enormous canyon is over a mile deep. The shelves are 10 inches deep. He stepped into an ankle-deep puddle of mud.

Adverb

The ship now lies deep below the water's surface. Our feet sank deeper into the mud. The treasure was buried deep within the ground. Their secret offices were located deep underground. We walked deep into the forest. The soldiers are operating deep within enemy territory. I stood three feet deep in the water. He stepped ankle-deep into a puddle of mud.

Noun

the kind of cold weather that we usually have only in the deep of winter sailors exploring the farther reaches of the briny deep

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

A few minutes of meditation, yoga or deep breathing can put you in the proper frame of mind to handle stressed people and tense situations. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for July 8, 2019: Happy birthday Milo Ventimiglia; Sagittarius, friends want you to settle their fights," 8 July 2019 Wendy was a talented Artist that loved to create and share beautiful floral images, loved her family and friends, was always eager to help others and had a deep devotion to God. — orlandosentinel.com, "Deaths in Central Florida: 7/7," 7 July 2019 Ocasio-Cortez said the Facebook page shows a deeper and more disturbing problem within the agency. — Grace Segers, CBS News, "Border Patrol investigates another potential secret Facebook group," 5 July 2019 Often deep red or brown in color, a typical red tide can be observed along a marine coast. — Jenny Howard, National Geographic, "Red tides, explained," 5 July 2019 It is prized for its deep-red hue, particularly by furniture-makers in China. — The Economist, "The murky world of Madagascar’s roaring vanilla trade," 5 July 2019 In some parts of the city, residents are digging wells as deep as 1,000 feet despite the fact that much of this groundwater is too dirty to drink and can only be used for washing. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Satellite Images Reveal the Extent of Chennai’s Water Shortage," 5 July 2019 As a result, governments installed technocrats with deep academic and market expertise to head central banks. — Allison Schrager, Quartz, "Newly named European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde isn’t an economist—and that’s good news," 4 July 2019 Happy Birthday: Take a deep breath, and embrace whatever comes your way. — Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, "Horoscopes: July 2, 2019," 2 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

Our research tries to answer these questions by constructing images of what’s happening deep within the Earth, more than 100 kilometers below the fault. — The Conversation, oregonlive.com, "Earthquake risk along NW coast is not the same for all areas," 8 July 2019 In children especially, the sheer number of potential pathogens and the location of the infected fluid—deep within the lungs—makes diagnosis difficult. — Alex Fox, Science | AAAS, "Viruses—not bacteria—cause most childhood pneumonia," 27 June 2019 The huge peak, Ahuna Mons, formed when a blob of salty, rocky mud from deep within Ceres broke through the icy crust and froze, according to a study published June 10 in the journal Nature Geoscience. — David Freeman, NBC News, "Dwarf planet Ceres' 'lonely mountain' mystery has been solved," 22 June 2019 Those are growths that develop from disease infections deep within the wood of the tree. — Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, "Wild violets: Weed or wildflower?," 21 June 2019 Its findings, published in the journal PNAS on Monday, revealed how increasingly strong winds in the region are causing turbulence deep within the sea, and as a result mixing warm water from middle levels with colder water in the abyss. — Rob Picheta, CNN, "Boaty McBoatface makes significant climate change discovery on first mission," 18 June 2019 Call it guilt, call it the aim to please that lives deep within the soul of any performer. — Eliza Berman, Time, "Emma Thompson Just Wants to Make Us Laugh—and Maybe Get Arrested," 6 June 2019 For years, Internet Explorer 11 has hidden deep within Windows 10. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Microsoft Edge's IE Mode will put Internet Explorer in a tab," 6 May 2019 New technology buried deep within the fighter’s eye-catching exterior made the F-14 a truly formidable opponent. — Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, "Why the F-14 Tomcat Is Such a Badass Plane," 3 May 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Marine fossils are protected by layers of marine sediment and the quietude of ocean deeps. — Peter Byrne, Quanta Magazine, "Early Life in Death Valley," 24 Apr. 2014 Cargo space There is a deep and square cargo space of 20.1 cubic feet stacked to the windows. — (james Halfacre), San Diego Union-Tribune, "2019 Mazda3: elevated design, distinct character," 8 June 2019 Lauren Theis, a 33-year-old yoga instructor, will lead a group hike Saturday through a trail deep in the New Jersey Pinelands, past stands of Atlantic white cedar, oak and pitch pine — and maybe even a bald eagle nest. — Frank Kummer, Philly.com, "'Forest bathing' aims for a full body and spirit immersion in N.J. Pinelands," 19 Apr. 2018 Lawrence hit Tee Higgins with a 62-yard pass on third-and-14 deep in Tiger territory and Travis Etienne followed with a 17-yard TD run. — Pete Iacobelli, The Seattle Times, "Clemson uses big moments to topple Tide for title," 8 Jan. 2019 That is a huge boon to Charlotte, which may use him as a shooting guard next to Kemba Walker but regardless got great value this deep into the draft. 12. — Benjamin Hoffman, New York Times, "2018 N.B.A. Draft Results: Analysis of Every Pick in Round 1," 21 June 2018 Betty's mom is knee-deep in some bizarre cult called The Farm, Archie's sweating it out in juvie, and a creepy game called Gryphons and Gargoyles is literally killing high schoolers. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Why Is Riverdale So Thirsty This Season?," 31 Oct. 2018 With England and Croatia tied 1-1 deep into extra time, Mandzukic slipped past John Stones and stroked a clinical finish past Pickford to send Croatia to the World Cup Final. — Nihal Kolur, SI.com, "Watch: Croatian Players Celebrate Mandzukic Goal With Photographer," 11 July 2018 For one, the speaker is mostly treated as an iOS ecosystem accessory, like the AirPods, that works best only for those deep within Apple’s walled garden. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Apple sold an estimated 600,000 HomePods in the first quarter of the year," 17 May 2018

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