abyss

IPA/əˈbɪs/
KK[əbˈɪs]IPA/əˈbɪs/

abyss — noun

  • abysssingular
  • abyssesplural

1. an extremely deep hole or space with no visible bottom, such as a crack in the e

1.名詞B2
釋義

an extremely deep hole or space with no visible bottom, such as a crack in the earth's surface or a deep area of the ocean

例句

Quinn stood at the edge of the abyss and looked down into the darkness.

collocation: at the edge of the abyss

The earthquake created an abyss in the middle of the highway that swallowed two cars.

同義詞
  • chasm

    A chasm is a wide crack in the ground; chasms are wide while abysses are deep.

  • gulf

    A gulf is a large area of sea partly surrounded by land; used figuratively for a big difference between people or groups.

  • void

    A void is a completely empty space, often suggesting a feeling of emptiness rather than a physical hole.

用法筆記

Often paired with prepositions such as 'into', 'over', or 'at the edge of'. The abyss usually suggests something frightening or dangerous, not just any deep hole.

常見錯誤

❌The swimming pool was a deep abyss.
✅The swimming pool was very deep.
💡'abyss' describes a frightening bottomless depth, not an ordinary deep place.
❌I dropped my phone into an abyss between the sofa cushions.
✅I dropped my phone into a gap between the sofa cushions.
💡'abyss' is too dramatic for everyday gaps.

2. a situation that is extremely bad or dangerous and from which escape seems nearl

2.名詞B2
釋義

a situation that is extremely bad or dangerous and from which escape seems nearly impossible

例句

After the family business failed, the Watanabes stood at the edge of a financial abyss.

collocation: at the edge of a financial abyss

After years of war, the country's economy was on the brink of a financial abyss.

on the brink of a [adj] abyss

同義詞
  • crisis

    A crisis is a time of intense difficulty; more neutral and less dramatic than 'abyss'.

  • disaster

    A disaster is a sudden event causing great damage; it is a specific event rather than a long-term downward spiral.

  • catastrophe

    A catastrophe is a terrible event causing extreme suffering; more focused on the event itself than the sense of falling.

用法筆記

Commonly modified by adjectives such as 'financial', 'emotional', 'moral', or 'economic'. The abyss is not a temporary difficulty but a profound, life-altering crisis.

常見錯誤

❌I had an abyss of a headache.
✅I had a terrible headache.
💡'abyss' is for overwhelming, life-changing situations, not everyday discomfort.
❌The traffic jam was an abyss.
✅The traffic jam was terrible.
💡using 'abyss' for minor problems sounds exaggerated and unnatural.