1
a
: an immeasurably deep gulf or great space
gazed down into the gaping abyss
the ocean's abysses
(figurative) a widening abyss between the rich and the poor
b
: intellectual or moral depths
an abyss of moral depravity
an abyss of despair
2
: the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the old cosmogonies
Examples of abyss in a Sentence
looking down at the dark ocean from the ship's rail, the cruise passenger felt as though he was staring into an abyss
Recent Examples on the Web
In the pitch-black abyss, photosynthesis is impossible.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Jean-Pierre is an artifact of an age that looks recent on paper but feels prehistoric in practice—the age of pantsuits, the word ’empowerment,’ the musical Hamilton, the cheap therapeutic entreaties to ‘work on yourself’ and ‘lean in’ to various corporate abysses.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
People from across Europe make use of it for a variety of personal reasons, unaware of the historical abyss along its edges, for this road follows a line that was first drawn almost 90 years ago, at a time of great unrest.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
But compared to the embarrassing depths of September and October, the Dolphins have lifted this season from an abyss to something a bit interesting, at least.
—Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abyss
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Jean-Pierre is an artifact of an age that looks recent on paper but feels prehistoric in practice—the age of pantsuits, the word ’empowerment,’ the musical Hamilton, the cheap therapeutic entreaties to ‘work on yourself’ and ‘lean in’ to various corporate abysses.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
People from across Europe make use of it for a variety of personal reasons, unaware of the historical abyss along its edges, for this road follows a line that was first drawn almost 90 years ago, at a time of great unrest.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 Dec. 2025
But compared to the embarrassing depths of September and October, the Dolphins have lifted this season from an abyss to something a bit interesting, at least.
—Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for abyss
Cite this Entry
“Abyss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abyss. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.
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abyss
noun
: a gulf so deep or a space so great that it cannot be measured
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