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

Taken together, these two mistakes represented an almost-unfathomable breach of basic diligence.

— Daniel Duane, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026
The Baltimore Ravens were in a goal-to-go setting, trailing 23-15 and needing to do the statistically unfathomable — according to CBS, teams behind by 8-plus points inside the final minute had lost 581 straight games.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfathomable

Adjective

These viruses infect diverse deep-sea prokaryotes that drive vital cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and metals.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Voyages from Antarctica to deep-sea archaeological sites helped redefine the role of the modern superyacht.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of deep-sea

Adjective

If Fielder is again playing a version of himself here, Holmes seems to be offering near infinite versions of herself up for examination, like a set of unblinking reflections in a hall of funhouse mirrors.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
More emails, more notifications, more infinite feeds — the steady drip of data spells doom for the overstimulated American.

— Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of infinite

Adjective

Likely aided by deepwater channels that brought tunas close to shore, this early example of tuna fishing is somewhat unusual – most areas of the world don’t contain evidence of tuna fishing until 10,000 years ago or more recently.

— Torben Rick, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Its flagship field, Busios, is the largest ultra-deepwater oil field in the world, sitting under a thick layer of salt far offshore.

— Todd Gordon, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of deepwater

Adjective

Deep-sea mining companies are targeting this vast reserves of metal-rich nodules to power the electric vehicle market.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
China has stepped up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to crack down on a vast industry that has flourished in the region in recent years to fleece people out of billions of dollars.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 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

Meanwhile, some of the same areas that are closed to bottom trawling for the protection of coral, sponges, crab and other marine life are open to pelagic trawlers.

— Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of pelagic

Adjective

Experts warn that the dam needed to create the reservoir will disrupt the river’s natural flow, to the detriment of marine life.

— Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
The journey began earlier this week after the world’s first commercial ship-to-ship transfer of green ammonia as marine propulsion fuel.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of marine

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“Abyssal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abyssal. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of abyssal

adjective

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