Abyss

An abyss is a bottomless or immeasurably deep chasm, gulf, or void. It can be a literal physical feature, such as a deep ocean trench or a gaping crevice in the earth. More often, 'abyss' refers to a profound intellectual or emotional depth; a vast emptiness or a seemingly endless, unfathomable situation. It suggests a state of hopelessness, despair, or moral degradation, where one feels lost and unable to escape. The term carries a strong connotation of darkness, danger, and the unknown.

Abyss meaning with examples

• He stared into the abyss of the Grand Canyon, the sheer drop making his stomach churn and reminding him of the earth's immense power, dwarfing all human endeavors in its profound scale.
• Consumed by grief after losing his wife, he felt himself falling into an abyss of despair, each day a struggle against the overwhelming weight of his sorrow and the constant ache of her absence.
• The company's financial scandals threatened to plunge it into an abyss of bankruptcy and ruin, shaking investor confidence and leading to a desperate scramble for bailout funds to avoid total collapse.
• The philosopher warned of the moral abyss that lay at the end of unchecked ambition, a place where ethical considerations are abandoned in the relentless pursuit of power and personal gain, a place where humanity can be lost.