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deep

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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

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 orange juice, peach preserves, mace, thyme, and deep umami flavors from soy and Worcestershire sauce all work together to create a flavor that goes down to the bone. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025 Madewell Longline Straight-Leg Jeans While these jeans are designed in a slightly deeper blue wash, the fading down the legs keeps them right in line with Crawford’s pair. Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
Pour enough of the batter into the prepared baking dish to cover the bottom with a layer about 1/4-inch deep. Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 5 June 2025 Rick Carlisle routinely stretches his rotation to 11 deep. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for deep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deep
Adjective
  • Sclerotic growth, stagnant real wages, and crumbling public services are generating profound dissatisfaction.
    Anand Menon, Time, 18 Oct. 2025
  • But there’s something almost profound about its infinite interpretations, its refusal to be defined.
    Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The 29-time PGA Tour winner has carded three rounds in the 60s, but hasn't been able to go low enough to be among the contenders.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The pair keep a relatively low profile but have collaborated on productions including Wickline’s theater project, Dukes Forever, which Hornbuckle directed.
    Alyssa Davis, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In a decadent Venetian hotel, androgynous Eva is drawn to the mysterious Contessa.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
  • When a mysterious prankster befalls the town of Middlesburg, 13-year-old Frances McCausland (Erin Chambers) gets blamed for the mischief.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Other of these esoteric features might actually be worth seeking out.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Duran had published articles on Tan and his wealthy colleagues, like Balaji Srinivasan, a tech investor who was promoting an esoteric but stubbornly influential concept called the Network State.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the institute statement, which remained ambiguous about the mosquito’s permanence, the insect probably arrived via freight transportation.
    Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Perhaps its message is meant to be deliberately ambiguous—or maybe there’s no message at all.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Thus, current fears reinforce a pre-existing localism, and infuse it with new and intense emotions.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • After at least half a decade of acute concern about the way that platforms such as Instagram may affect young people, as well as intense debate about how best to keep kids safe online, Meta has arrived at a label that was invented in the 1980s because parents were upset by movies such as Gremlins.
    Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The origin of Skinwalker legends is deeply rooted in Navajo cultural beliefs about witchcraft and the balance between good and evil.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Although Cabernet Franc is a native of France, where it is planted on over 90,000 acres, the grape now has a permanent home and is firmly rooted in North America.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Schools, hospitals, as well as water and electricity infrastructure have all been devastated during the two-year war from Israel’s extensive military campaign on the Gaza Strip, Amr said.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2025
  • While his two-way role requires extensive off-field work to stay ready for both jobs, Ohtani had pitched in only two games over the past 30 days before Game 4, thanks to the permutations of the Dodgers’ schedule.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deep. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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