1
as in unfathomable
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2
as in deep-sea
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Recent Examples of abyssal
Advertisement The cliché of the grandmaster whose mind has been tied in knots contemplating the abyssal depths of a chess game is largely a fantasy; despite a few high-profile cases, no statistical link has been established between skill in chess and madness.
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Jordan Himelfarb, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The heart of noir tends to be nihilism, its abyssal mood a veil that invites you to glimpse the darker machinery of a world ruled by insurmountable powers where resistance leads only to ruin.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
For its part, TMC intends to have large vessels out at sea deploying collector vehicles down to abyssal depths of 2.5-3.75 miles (4-6 km) in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean.
—New Atlas, 5 Apr. 2025
Seamounts are underwater mountains that rise hundreds or thousands of feet from the seafloor and can provide a vital habitat for marine life, while abyssal hills are smaller, underwater mounds.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Three years of computer modeling found the Antarctic overturning circulation – also known as abyssal ocean overturning – is on track to slow 42% by 2050 if the world continues to burn fossil fuels and produce high levels of planet-heating pollution.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023
As an open-source project, C:DDA has its inner workings posted freely online, where anyone with a working knowledge of C++ can dive in and add weapons, recipes, and more information into the simulation's already abyssal depths.
—Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 17 Dec. 2018
Even here, though, abyssal tuba notes exposed a sonic substratum.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017
Before New Horizons flew by, scientists thought there wouldn’t be much in the way of geological activity happening out there on the fringe, where temperatures are decidedly abyssal and materials tend to freeze in place.
—National Geographic, 14 July 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abyssal
Adjective
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God grant me the grace to forgive also, despite my unfathomable trauma.—
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On the contrary, over his previous four games (featuring three Knicks losses), Towns shot 4-of-9 from the field against the New Orleans Pelicans, 5-of-10 against the San Antonio Spurs, 6-of-16 against the Philadelphia 76ers and an unfathomable one-of-four against the Detroit Pistons.—
Adjective
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Japan has launched a month-long deep-sea mission aimed at unlocking a new domestic source of rare earth elements, a move that could reshape how the country secures critical minerals used in electric vehicles, electronics, and defense systems.—
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Tankers are seen at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in the Sharjah Emirate, along the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes on June 23, 2025.—
Adjective
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Cooking elaborate healthy meals is one of those aspirational goals that lives in a world where time is infinite.—
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Rich Polk—Getty Images Advertisement In their infinite wisdom, the Golden Globes invited Snoop Dogg to present the Best Podcast award.—
Adjective
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Friday’s announcement marks the first time that deepwater shark species have been added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s lists of regulated species.—
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While the industry has been drilling in ultra-deepwater for years, 20K allows access to wells previously deemed too risky.—
Adjective
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Open my soul to the vast dark places.—
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Both nations boast vast petroleum reserves and extensive mineral wealth, long positioning themselves as anti-imperialist adversaries of the US.—
Adjective
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According to the study authors, these changes can be tied to stagnation and decline in the ocean’s biodiversity, particularly among benthic animals, or animals associated with the bottom of the sea, such as corals, crustaceans, and brachiopods.—
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The scientists noticed a drop in their prey, such as small pelagic fishes in the case of seals and smaller benthic sharks in the case of sevengill sharks.—
Adjective
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Shallow slip The researchers found that, in the case of Tōhoku, the normal layer of firm rock that usually sits between the plates actually consisted of a 30-meter-thick layer of pelagic clay, a soft, slippery substance that accumulated there over millions of years as microscopic particles settled.—
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However, cases in large pelagic species are particularly noteworthy because these animals rely on long-distance migrations, streamlined bodies, and efficient swimming to survive.—
Adjective
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Hadi of the weather service said those increasing winds could create hazardous marine conditions in South Florida, so swimmers and boaters should stay aware.—
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The Chicago Police Department's marine unit recovered the body underwater near the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on Chicago's South Side, ABC 7 Chicago reports.—
Cite this Entry
“Abyssal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyssal. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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