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 The amount of love and support from our Colorado Springs community and beyond is overwhelming to fathom. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 June 2026 Mike Heller couldn’t fathom Hollywood Hardware’s sign going to waste. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2026 The idea struck me as hard to fathom. — Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026 Its scale — a thousand times more than a billion — is difficult to fathom for those of us who aren’t among the 3,363 billionaires that currently exist in our world. — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fathom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathom
  1. plumb
  2. scale
  3. span
Verb
  • It's also plumbed ready to accept a washer/dryer, and a water heater is installed.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Getty Images At first sight, the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering work involved in construction doesn’t seem a prime target for disruption from artificial intelligence.
    — David Prosser, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of plumb
Verb
  • As residents complain and other communities, such as Monroe County and Sumpter Township, have scaled back or decided against Flock cameras, Waterford police have no plans to take down these cameras anytime soon.
    — Heath Kalb, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Related Articles The majority of the Lust works are modestly scaled with low values, likely to be sold during day sales, but around 10 are considered major works, the top lot almost certainly a large sculpture by Alberto Giacometti.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of scale
Verb
  • One spans two spacious bedrooms, while another has its own kitchenette, and the largest includes a living room.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, and Frank Sinatra were among the many Hollywood stars whose residences were designed by prominent Los Angeles architect Paul Revere Williams during a career that spanned from the 1920s to his retirement in 1973.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 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 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fathom

Nglish: Translation of fathom for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fathom

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