fathom

verb

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 Our society was different then, in ways younger citizens might find hard to fathom. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The show’s popularity was something none of the three could have fathomed in its earliest days. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026 Before scientists formulated their research, poets and naturalists had fathomed features of this intelligence. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders officially have competition on the content front which is hard to even fathom. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fathom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathom
  1. plumb
  2. scale
  3. span
Verb
  • There are some authors who plumb the roots of their own concerns or anxieties, while others work tirelessly to build worlds out of words and ideas.
    — Josh Zajdman, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2026
  • There is no reading of the statute under which enforcing the Building Code includes plumbing a restaurant’s kitchen.
    — Fabiola Stuyvesant, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of plumb
Verb
  • However, no one was charged, and the operation was significantly scaled back in 2015.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At Kingpins Amsterdam last week, industry experts discussed the must-have ingredients for scaling innovation.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of scale
Verb
  • Hemsworth’s work has always spanned genres—just look at his omnivorous DJ sets—but Numbskull positions him as a more traditional songwriter, underscored by the album’s personal, earnest tone.
    — Mehan Jayasuriya, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • No prior bubble spanned so many dimensions of the economy simultaneously—GDP growth, consumer spending, equity markets, debt markets, and venture capital all tethered to a single theme.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of span

Browse Nearby Words

fathers (on)
fathom
fathomable
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Cite this Entry

“Fathom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathom. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fathom

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fathom

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