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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 oil ritual can be heated or used as-is to provide deep moisture to the hair and scalp all while adding shine and softness. Caché McClay, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025 To lower blood pressure quickly in the short term, deep breathing and relaxation techniques, like meditation, can help calm the nervous system and reduce blood pressure slightly. Alexandria Nyembwe, Health, 7 Nov. 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
  • The potential to help cancer patients is profound.
    Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Christo and Jeanne-Claude had a profound understanding of this.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The research team highlighted that beyond water harvesting, these coatings could help reduce urban heat island effects, lower energy needs for air-conditioning and provide climate-resilient water sources in regions facing growing heat and water stress.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • As if dark energy weren't already mysterious and baffling enough, new research suggests that this unknown force may not be driving galaxies apart at an accelerating rate anymore.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The goddess planet knows the art of seduction, but when transiting Scorpio, her sweetness is equally seductive and mysterious.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • From slasher homages like Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue to esoteric but no less worthy films like Belladonna of Sadness, these works possess a power to shock and terrify.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Other of these esoteric features might actually be worth seeking out.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • With stunning celerity, possibility becomes probability and then certainty, as readers reject the quiet, circuitous, and unglamorous narratives of prudential compromise, ambiguous diplomacy, or incremental progress.
    Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.
    Rory Doherty, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Gas and dust fall into a rotating disk around the black hole, and as the debris spirals more rapidly, it becomes superheated, releasing intense radiation.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • True Ipomea batatas has bright orange flesh (although modern varieties have much more intense colors than older forms), occasionally white and rarely purple.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The sophisticated sound work was not yet part of broadcast radio’s lingua franca, but my generation of producers were at least exposed to some of the possibilities inherent in the form.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Rhodes spoke about the inherent difficulty of finding a true work-life balance.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The extensive archaeological study covered an area of over three-quarters of a mile.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • His work has been so extensive, France’s minister of culture awarded him the prestigious Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres this year.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 8 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deep. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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