chasm

noun

ˈka-zəm How to pronounce chasm (audio)
Synonyms of chasm
1
: a deep cleft in the surface of a planet (such as the earth) : gorge
built a bridge over the chasm
2
: a marked division, separation, or difference
the chasm between the rich and the poor

Synonyms of chasm

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Examples of chasm in a Sentence

a chasm in the ocean floor
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Just add more alcohol and more reminders of these couples’ experiential chasm, and Lee’s command of irony in a simmering atmosphere is in a league all its own. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The result is a growing chasm between how the people building AI think about its benefits and how ordinary Americans think about its costs. — Will Johnson, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 The gap between what’s being spent on the AI buildout and the revenue projected to come back is turning into a multitrillion-dollar chasm. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 There’s a huge confidence chasm between those who approve of the country’s leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and those who don’t — just 37% of the latter have faith in the vote. — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chasm

Word History

Etymology

Latin chasma, from Greek; akin to Latin hiare to yawn — more at yawn

First Known Use

circa 1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chasm was circa 1594

Rhymes for chasm

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Browse Nearby Words

chase up
chasm
chasma
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Cite this Entry

“Chasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chasm. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chasm

noun
ˈkaz-əm How to pronounce chasm (audio)
: a deep split or gap in the earth
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