abyssal

adjective

Definition of abyssalnext
1
as in unfathomable

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in deep-sea

Related Words

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 abyssal Along with the abyssal green dress, Union wore embellished leather sandal heels courtesy of Miu Miu for an extra dose of summer style. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 June 2026 To delve to the (geological) heart of the matter, scientists want to know the moon’s deepest secret—what’s happening at its most abyssal depths. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026 Advertisement The cliché of the grandmaster whose mind has been tied in knots contemplating the abyssal depths of a chess game is largely a fantasy; despite a few high-profile cases, no statistical link has been established between skill in chess and madness. — Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025 The heart of noir tends to be nihilism, its abyssal mood a veil that invites you to glimpse the darker machinery of a world ruled by insurmountable powers where resistance leads only to ruin. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 Seamounts are underwater mountains that rise hundreds or thousands of feet from the seafloor and can provide a vital habitat for marine life, while abyssal hills are smaller, underwater mounds. — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025 Three years of computer modeling found the Antarctic overturning circulation – also known as abyssal ocean overturning – is on track to slow 42% by 2050 if the world continues to burn fossil fuels and produce high levels of planet-heating pollution. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023 Even here, though, abyssal tuba notes exposed a sonic substratum. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abyssal
  1. unfathomable
  2. deep-sea
  3. infinite
  4. deepwater
  5. vast
  6. benthic
  7. pelagic
  8. marine
Adjective
  • The blur outside becomes enveloping and unfathomable; the universe inside the car evolves as the friends invent tension-defusing rituals to keep from screaming at one another.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Peart was a one-of-a-kind virtuoso, one of the greatest drummers rock ever knew, his monstrously complex parts so intrinsic to Rush’s sound that the idea of replacing him long seemed unfathomable.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of unfathomable
Adjective
  • Iridescent flashes and gold gemstones emulate deep-sea treasures.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Aug. 2026
  • At these deep-sea mineral formations, a rich chemical brew, warmed by volcanic activity, spills out over the ocean floor.
    — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of deep-sea
Adjective
  • The novel is about a lifestyle influencer who’s forced to relive her own day-in-the-life vlog in an infinite time loop.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The states claim that Meta’s infinite scroll, autoplay, notifications, likes and recommendation systems are designed to keep young people engaged, similar to the way ingredients in tobacco can hook smokers.
    — Larry Magid, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of infinite
Adjective
  • Transocean — Shares rose 2% after the offshore drilling service contractor signed a $300 million , two-year contract for an ultra-deepwater drillship with ONGC of India, with options out to 2031.
    — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Norway’s Equinor bought into Chevron’s deepwater block off the coast of Namibia, the latest global energy giant to bet on the country’s vast offshore oil boom.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of deepwater
Adjective
  • The Mexican navy searched a vast area of the Pacific Ocean by sea and air, eventually finding the two men floating in a large fishing cooler about 150 miles off the coast of Chiapas, a southern state in Mexico that borders Guatemala.
    — Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Masanori Kumagai/Kyodo News via AP Hiraguchi cited surveys showing the vast majority of Japanese supporting the death penalty as an unavoidable option.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of vast
Adjective
  • Supporting future development Project leaders described Expedition 7 as one of the most productive benthic baseline campaigns completed within the deep-sea minerals sector.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026
  • Recognizable by their strong pharyngeal teeth used to crush mollusc shells, black carps can significantly impact local ecosystems by feeding on mussels and snails, and competing with other native benthic fishes like smallmouth buffalo.
    — Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of benthic
Adjective
  • His winning series was captured in the waters of Anilao, Philippines, where pelagic and larval marine life migrate from the depths each night to feed under the cover of darkness.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Researchers also encountered glass squid and spotted a pelagic octopus feeding on a bright red jellyfish.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
Definition of pelagic
Adjective
  • The finalist images document the consequences of overfishing and bycatch, the impact of pollution on marine mammals and the killing of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands, a practice known as grindadráp.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Traditional marine reactors place steam generators and coolant pumps outside the main vessel, linking them with large pipes.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of marine

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abyssal
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Cite this Entry

“Abyssal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyssal. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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