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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
In the long term, this failure to address deep social problems contributes to the erosion of people’s trust in governments and institutions, breeding nihilism and an attraction to demagogues who claim to have easy answers. —Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026 Gabrielle Union and Michael Kors have a deep history. —Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
Each of the four teams selected 30 players on Thursday, but active rosters will go just 15 deep. —Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 21 Nov. 2025 In August, court records were mistakenly discarded, leading the clerk's office to wade ankle-deep through a landfill to retrieve them. —CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025 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
  • That sort of profound insight is indeed a rare commodity these days.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
  • John and Alice Coltrane lived, composed, recorded, and pursued spiritual study during a period of profound artistic transformation during their time in the New York home, and Coltrane came of age as a creative innovator within the local music community while living in the Philadelphia House.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 Feb. 2026
Definition of profound
Adjective
  • Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 20 Feb. 2026
  • All that is gone, even more so as Premier League matches are being switched to Mondays and Fridays, when demand for everything is lower.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Backrooms centers on two people who find a mysterious door in the basement of a furniture showroom.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The mysterious founder of Shein made a rare public appearance Tuesday to hail local government support that helped the Chinese fast-fashion giant grow into a global juggernaut.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of mysterious
Adjective
  • At the end of the Strip Law season, there are hints that its cumulative effect could be greater than the sum of its puns, near-rhymes and esoteric shoutouts.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
  • From basic fraud claims and partnership disputes to the more esoteric involving combustion turbines, citrus canker or automobile line recalls or land use development issues, Waldman masters the material and, time and again, has delivered big-time results for his clients.
    — William Jones, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of esoteric
Adjective
  • There is, at present, some evidence for dark energy weakening over time, although the results from the DESI collaboration, which provide the strongest evidence to date for such a scenario, are highly ambiguous.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 20 Feb. 2026
  • But the film’s tone and ending feel more ambiguous, perhaps bittersweet.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • The employee, a mother of two teen girls, warned about the filters and said the pressure on teen girls is intense.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
  • During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • In addition to the elation and disappointment that are inherent to the highest level of international competition, the 2026 Olympics had their own distinctive moments.
    — The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
  • In terms of the latter, its inherent flammability has led to many EV fires over the years, which is clearly not ideal.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026
Definition of inherent
Adjective
  • Wood received extensive rehabilitation but died a year after the shooting.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Since then, teams have pushed the vehicle through extensive autonomy testing.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Feb. 2026
Definition of extensive

Phrases Containing deep

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deems
deep
deepen
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Cite this Entry

“Deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deep. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deep for Spanish Speakers

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