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
Longtime White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf fell into the same trap and his team is still trying to crawl out of the abyss.
—
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 4 July 2025
The continuity of memory did not measure the abyss between a toddler’s body and a woman’s.
—Rebecca Solnit
may 29, Literary Hub, 29 May 2025
During the previous two seasons, Aaron Rodgers was supposed to provide that change, which was designed to help the Jets come out of their dark abyss since 2010 and contend for a Super Bowl.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Legislators can schedule a summer session or wait until the fall veto session to deal with the fiscal abyss.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for abyss
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Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 4 July 2025
The continuity of memory did not measure the abyss between a toddler’s body and a woman’s.
—Rebecca Solnit
may 29, Literary Hub, 29 May 2025
During the previous two seasons, Aaron Rodgers was supposed to provide that change, which was designed to help the Jets come out of their dark abyss since 2010 and contend for a Super Bowl.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Legislators can schedule a summer session or wait until the fall veto session to deal with the fiscal abyss.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 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 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
abyss
noun
: a gulf so deep or a space so great that it cannot be measured
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