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 Baltimore Ravens were in a goal-to-go setting, trailing 23-15 and needing to do the statistically unfathomable — according to CBS, teams behind by 8-plus points inside the final minute had lost 581 straight games.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • From 2021 through last season, the Knicks boasted an unfathomable 18-2 record against their Eastern Conference counterpart Washington Wizards.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfathomable
Adjective
  • Voyages from Antarctica to deep-sea archaeological sites helped redefine the role of the modern superyacht.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The development marked the first ship-to-ship commercial ethanol bunkering of a deep-sea container vessel in the United States.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of deep-sea
Adjective
  • Additionally, the Sunshine State wants to limit teens to two hours per day across all apps as well as turning off autoplay and infinite scroll features, among other changes.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Geese did something similar with last year’s Getting Killed, their own neutron star of an album, gobbling up the tangled lineages of rock, punk, and drone music in New York City with the ravenous appetites of kids weaned on the infinite scroll.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of infinite
Adjective
  • Its flagship field, Busios, is the largest ultra-deepwater oil field in the world, sitting under a thick layer of salt far offshore.
    — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The yacht will be transported from Royal Huisman’s newbuild facility in Vollenhove to the shipyard’s deepwater location near Amsterdam in November, where she will be launched before the stepping of her towering Rondal carbon mast and matching boom.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of deepwater
Adjective
  • Deep-sea mining companies are targeting this vast reserves of metal-rich nodules to power the electric vehicle market.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
  • China has stepped up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to crack down on a vast industry that has flourished in the region in recent years to fleece people out of billions of dollars.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 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
  • But El Niño conditions and an ongoing marine heat wave have pushed ocean temperatures 10 to 13 degrees higher than normal, providing a far-more-conducive environment for Rachel.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • These damselfish are omnivorous generalists, which makes their diet quite broad and adaptable compared to many marine species.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 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 15 Oct. 2026.

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