chasm

noun

ˈka-zəm 

1

: a deep cleft in the surface of a planet (such as the earth) : gorge

built a bridge over the chasm

2

: a marked division, separation, or difference

the chasm between the rich and the poor

Synonyms of chasm

• abyss
• ocean

Examples of chasm in a Sentence

a chasm in the ocean floor

Recent Examples on the Web

The Arabic word sirāt can refer to, among other things, the razor-thin bridge that leads, over the chasm of Hell, to paradise—a heavy burden of eschatological significance, but the film shoulders it lightly. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025

This gap used to be the most unbreachable chasm in marketing. —Jason Barnard, Rolling Stone, 12 Nov. 2025

And the bridge over that chasm — between not having to consider money, and nearly suffocating from a lack of it — remained shrouded for some in the fog of South Florida’s, indeed the country’s, mounting affordability crisis. —Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025

Part of that is due to a huge mismatch between people’s hopes and reality, with that chasm growing bigger than ever. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin chasma, from Greek; akin to Latin hiare to yawn — more at yawn

First Known Use

circa 1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chasm

• bronchospasm
• cytoplasm
• ectoplasm
• neoplasm
• protoplasm
• vasospasm
• chiasm
• germplasm
• phantasm
• sarcasm
• enthusiasm
• iconoclasm

Kids Definition

chasm

noun

ˈkaz-əm 

: a deep split or gap in the earth