fathom

Definition of fathomnext
as in to plumb
to measure the depth of (as a body of water) typically with a weighted line the pilot had to continually fathom the river, which drought conditions had lowered to unprecedented levels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 fathom Some liked to have them on hand, and others couldn’t fathom not boiling eggs themselves. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026 The lowest point in Ekman-Larsson’s career made a lengthy NHL future — never mind the Olympics — hard to fathom. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026 The quest to fathom the riotous diversity of nature is absorbingly told in a virtual double biography of the great taxonomist Carl Linnaeus and his contemporary, the count of Buffon. Ian Tattersall, The New York Review of Books, 5 Feb. 2026 Paul is a 12-time All-Star and a franchise legend for the Clippers, which is why this unceremonious end was hard to fathom for fans. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fathom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathom
Verb
  • When to Call a Professional DIYers without plumbing experience should not attempt this project on their own.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Do not perform plumbing work on a radiator unless the boiler system has been shut down.
    Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • While Intuitive Surgical’s sales to Fortinet have scaled back its holdings in Sunnyvale, the maker of a cutting-edge surgical robot has created a huge campus at the corner of Kifer Road and Commercial Street.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
  • In a nod to critics who worried the building would dwarf the famous dive tower, developer Mario Caprini and his team scaled back the west building’s height from the equivalent of 13 stories to six.
    Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • With a global sensibility, reach, and reporting hubs now spanning from Washington DC, Silicon Valley, Wall Street to sub-Saharan Africa and the Gulf, Semafor’s journalists around the world power its suite of daily first-read email briefings and signature live journalism convenings.
    Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Their rescue, which involved multiple lowering stations spanning hundreds of feet, took the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police (LVMPD) Search and Rescue team seven hours.
    Outside, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fathom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathom. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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