1
as in unfathomable
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2
as in deep-sea
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Recent Examples of abyssal
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
For its part, TMC intends to have large vessels out at sea deploying collector vehicles down to abyssal depths of 2.5-3.75 miles (4-6 km) in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean.
—New Atlas, 5 Apr. 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
As an open-source project, C:DDA has its inner workings posted freely online, where anyone with a working knowledge of C++ can dive in and add weapons, recipes, and more information into the simulation's already abyssal depths.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 17 Dec. 2018
Even here, though, abyssal tuba notes exposed a sonic substratum.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017
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
For its part, TMC intends to have large vessels out at sea deploying collector vehicles down to abyssal depths of 2.5-3.75 miles (4-6 km) in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean.
—New Atlas, 5 Apr. 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
As an open-source project, C:DDA has its inner workings posted freely online, where anyone with a working knowledge of C++ can dive in and add weapons, recipes, and more information into the simulation's already abyssal depths.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 17 Dec. 2018
Even here, though, abyssal tuba notes exposed a sonic substratum.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abyssal
Adjective
-
That's unfathomable, especially in a market like Boston.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Balcony is textbook Manet—grand in ambition, ingeniously composed, visually charismatic, and socially unfathomable.—
Susan Tallman,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As deep-sea robotics continues to evolve, such systems are expected to play a larger role not only in archaeology but also in subsea inspection, resource mapping, and environmental monitoring.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
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In the house reef, there’s snorkelling and paddleboarding; guests preferring deep-sea action can request private yacht excursions or big-game fishing sessions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While the bonds among this crew are strong and infinite (just ask Alicia’s high-school Spanish teacher), everything seems to flow through Jo-Ellen, particularly the tight foursome that includes her, Alicia, Liz, and Kelsey.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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The energy needed to accelerate that mass at the Big Bang had to be infinite or nearly so.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Brazil, the region’s largest oil and gas producer, is now a global leader in deepwater and ultra-deepwater production and aims to rank among the world’s top five crude producers by 2030, driven by prolific fields such as Búzios.—
Juan Pablo Spinetto,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Other Notable Discoveries White himself identified four new species — a new skate, ray, deepwater catshark and chimaera — also known as a ghost shark.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Across the rest of the world , the vast majority of global stock markets were closed Friday for the Labor Day holiday.—
Michael Considine,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
-
While that may seem like a vast expanse when starting with tiny seedlings, know that these productive plants will spread several feet by the end of the season.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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By filtering fine organic particles from the water and stabilizing sediments, sea pansies participate in benthic nutrient cycling — the process by which nutrients are exchanged between the water column and the ocean floor.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Sargassum includes pelagic species of brown seaweed that have their origin offshore in the Atlantic Ocean and float on its surface, according to the FWC.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2026
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And although most marine mammals are coastal, some pelagic whales and dolphins dwell far offshore.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Much of Culebra is now protected under the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, which preserves mangroves, dry forest, and charming coastal habitats used by seabirds and marine life.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
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Consumers should also pay attention to inactive ingredients, since oils, fragrances and other additives can harm marine life.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abyssal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyssal. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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