ABYSSAL Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

abyssal

adjective

Definition of abyssal

as in unfathomable

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Dissimilar Words

as in deep-sea

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of abyssal Along with the abyssal green dress, Union wore embellished leather sandal heels courtesy of Miu Miu for an extra dose of summer style. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 12 June 2026 To delve to the (geological) heart of the matter, scientists want to know the moon’s deepest secret—what’s happening at its most abyssal depths. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026 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. — 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 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 Even here, though, abyssal tuba notes exposed a sonic substratum. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abyssal

Adjective

On behalf of myself, our staff, and the Board of Directors, we are entirely devastated by this unfathomable loss to Country Music and the entire world.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Building a racetrack in the middle of a city comes with an unfathomable number of logistical challenges.

— Adam Kilgore, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of unfathomable

Adjective

Then, in a famous 1937 paper, the mathematician Alan Turing devised a model based on hypothetical machines that could read and write symbols printed on an infinite tape according to a set of simple rules.

— Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
In a world of infinite access, experience becomes the scarcity.

— Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of infinite

Adjective

According to Hapag-Lloyd, the average waiting time for Gemini Cooperation services calling at Shanghai’s Yangshan deepwater port is approximately five to six days, and seven to eight days for non-Gemini services.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
Transocean — Shares rose 2% after the offshore drilling service contractor signed a $300 million , two-year contract for an ultra-deepwater drillship with ONGC of India, with options out to 2031.

— Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of deepwater

Adjective

South Florida’s vast Caribbean diaspora knows that consuls general come and go.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Dark matter and dark energy, also not yet directly observed, together are the source of the vast majority of energy in the universe, but their physical natures are unknown.

— Don Figer, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of vast

Adjective

Supporting future development Project leaders described Expedition 7 as one of the most productive benthic baseline campaigns completed within the deep-sea minerals sector.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026
Recognizable by their strong pharyngeal teeth used to crush mollusc shells, black carps can significantly impact local ecosystems by feeding on mussels and snails, and competing with other native benthic fishes like smallmouth buffalo.

— Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 18 Mar. 2026

Definition of benthic

Adjective

His winning series was captured in the waters of Anilao, Philippines, where pelagic and larval marine life migrate from the depths each night to feed under the cover of darkness.

— Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Researchers also encountered glass squid and spotted a pelagic octopus feeding on a bright red jellyfish.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026

Definition of pelagic

Adjective

From the cabin, your 360-degree views of exotic marine species and coral reefs will be enriched by the insights of an expert pilot.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
Plastic and other marine debris reach Arctic beaches on ocean currents and through shipping and fishing activity.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of marine

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“Abyssal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyssal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abyssal

adjective

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