deep 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdēp How to pronounce deep (audio)
Definition of deepnext
1
as in profound
extending far downward lowered their bucket down a deep well the ax made a deep cut into the wood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in low
having a low musical pitch or range the tour guide had an impressively deep voice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain a deep, dark secret that he took to his grave

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in esoteric
difficult for one of ordinary knowledge or intelligence to understand her poetry is now regarded as sentimental and not very deep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning one of those deep passages in the Bible that can be interpreted in any number of different ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect fell into a deep sleep after taking the potion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in inherent
firmly established over time a deep devotion to obtaining justice for all, even society's most disadvantaged

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in extensive
having considerable extent an economist with a deep understanding of the forces that propel the global economy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in immersed
having the mind fixed on something I was so deep in the mystery novel that I didn't hear the doorbell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in away
not close in time or space an episode in her deep past that she had never spoken about, even to her husband

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deep

2 of 2

noun

1
as in midst
the most intense or characteristic phase of something the kind of cold weather that we usually have only in the deep of winter

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in sea
the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three-fourths of the earth sailors exploring the farther reaches of the briny deep

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in abyss
an immeasurable depth or space the belief that somewhere in the deep of outer space humankind will meet its ultimate destiny

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deep different from other adjectives like it?

The words broad and wide are common synonyms of deep. While all three words mean "having horizontal extent," deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point.

a deep cupboard
deep woods

Where would broad be a reasonable alternative to deep?

The meanings of broad and deep largely overlap; however, broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered.

broad shoulders

When is it sensible to use wide instead of deep?

In some situations, the words wide and deep are roughly equivalent. However, wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned, or when applied to unfilled space between limits.

rugs eight feet wide
a wide doorway

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 deep
Adjective
The bottles feature Hirst’s notable kaleidoscope design in deep electric blue and violet for the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2018 and warm pink and violet for the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2010. — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026 Very deep or uncomfortable pressure can do the opposite and push the body into a fight-or-flight response. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
The earlier Supergirl, headlined by Helen Slater, deep-sixed at the box office with just over $14M domestic per Box Office Mojo. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026 Ewers followed it up by trying to squeeze another pass into a tight window deep, but overthrew his target high for an incompletion. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for deep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deep
  1. profound
  2. low
  3. mysterious
  4. esoteric
  5. ambiguous
  6. intense
  7. inherent
  8. extensive
Adjective
  • Four years ago, Times columnist Nicolas Goldberg wrote an opinion piece about his fascination with what to him sounded like a profound project about the meaning of time.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Its last film, The Wild Robot, is visually arresting and emotionally profound, and Forgotten Island is equally as compelling, if not more so.
    — Parents, Parents, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of profound
Adjective
  • The ground floor is dedicated to womenswear and accessories, with menswear and accessories on the lower level.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Four add-ons—acupuncture, intralipid infusion (fat injections intended to regulate the immune system) and platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), or blood injections, in the uterus and ovaries—had either mixed evidence or low quality data backing them up.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Jesse Plemons is superb as his mysterious Kenny becomes a key player in all this, and there is also exemplary work from Emma D’Arcy as Lina, Digger’s ever-faithful assistant, and Sophie Wilde who watches over the action with a keen eye.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • But key details of this profound primordial transition, such as its threshold energy and density, have remained deeply mysterious.
    — Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • But then Mehmet is let go from his job teaching esoteric music practices to university students and the household’s sole steady source of income is gone.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Some say the public backlash to AI, and OpenAI, is partly because messaging from the leading labs can be esoteric, rather than grounded in the day-to-day benefits of AI, and in some cases, downright frightening.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of esoteric
Adjective
  • In fact, mathematicians already know that knots of two or more links have ambiguous polynomials.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Because a decision appears to have been made in the Salvadoran case, then paused, without any public clarification, the situation is more ambiguous.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • The coalition led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialists announced the new measures earlier Tuesday, after four days of intense protests centered around an encampment in Puerta del Sol, Madrid's most iconic plaza.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Consequently, the resulting economic stimulus, inflationary pressure, and intense competition for capital could propel the 10 year US Treasury yield toward a high of 6% before next January.
    — , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial, with Perry scolding prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • That creates an inherent tension with norms around privacy and personal space.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of inherent
Adjective
  • Avila said the attack left her with severe injuries to her arm and face, extensive scarring, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
  • In that hands-on evaluation, the reviewer put the Flow 2 through extensive real-world testing across two months in a demanding household environment, covering over 100 cleaning jobs and more than 18,500 square feet of floor space.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of extensive

Phrases Containing deep

Browse Nearby Words

deems
deep
deepen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deep. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of adventitious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All