Abyss

/əˈbɪs/ · noun

Meaning

Hell; the bottomless pit; primeval chaos; a confined subterranean ocean..

Definitions by Sense

1. Hell; the bottomless pit; primeval chaos; a confined subterranean ocean.
2. (frequently figurative) A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable; any void space.
3. Anything infinite, immeasurable, or profound.
4. Moral depravity; vast intellectual or moral depth.
5. (with article) An impending catastrophic happening.
6. (heraldry) The center of an escutcheon; fess point.
7. (oceanography) The abyssal zone.
8. (figurative) A difference, especially a large difference, between groups.

Example Sentences

'You cannot enter here,' said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. 'Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!'

Below is the deep abyss of the Lauterbrunnen valley, and at its head a stately semi-circle of mountains, with the pyramidal Lauterbrunnen Breithorn as the centre-piece.

They fell into the abyss of drug addiction.

Synonyms for abyss

Antonyms for abyss

Related Words

Word Forms

• abysses
• abysm
• abyssus
• abime

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions