abysmal

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The currency of these two words is in inverse proportion to that of the parent words: abysmal, with its figurative meaning 'very bad' and a literal meaning relating to gorges, outer space, etc., is common, whereas abyssal is limited to technical usage in oceanography, 'belonging to one of the deepest levels of the ocean' (e.g. in the term abyssal floor) and geology, where it has a meaning, similar to plutonic, relating to igneous rock (as in abyssal hills). By contrast, abyss is still used (usually in figurative uses denoting disaster, e.g. They are staring into the abyss), whereas abysm (under 20 in the Old English (up to 1150)C) is not. Examples of abysmal: (figurative)

The day was hot, the organisation...excellent, and the cricket of generally abysmal quality—Wisden Cricket Monthly, 1992

Video ads have been tried many times before and, each time, have been abysmal failures—Aardvark Daily, New Zealand English 2004 [Old English (up to 1150)C]

The US is not alone in its abysmal ignorance of the democratic processes of countries it considers its staunchest allies—Cherwell Magazine Online, 2005 [Old English (up to 1150)C]

(literal) Far, far beneath in the abysmal sea—P. Allardice, 1990.

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adjective

1. Extending far downward or inward from a surface: deep, profound. See surface/depth.
2. Open wide: abyssal, cavernous, gaping, yawning. See wide/narrow.

adj

Definition: extending deeply into something
Antonyms: low

adj

Definition: to a great extent; immeasurable
Antonyms: infinite

IN BRIEF: adv. - In a terrible manner.

She treated her plants abysmally, and they all died

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For a list of words related to abysmal, see:

• Unappealing, Shabby, Messy, Poor, or Clumsy
• Sad, Serious, Pessimistic, or Discontented

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See words rhyming with "abysmal."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - afgrundsdyb, dybsindig, bundløs

Nederlands (Dutch)
waardeloos, hopeloos

Français (French)
adj. - épouvantable, catastrophique, sans bornes, exécrable

Deutsch (German)
adj. - bodenlos, unergründlich, schrecklich

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - αβυσσαλέος, απύθμενος, (μτφ.) φοβερός, ανεκδιήγητος

Italiano (Italian)
abissale, profondo, -(fam.) pessimo, molto cattivo, terribile, spaventoso

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - abismal, profundo, insondável

Русский (Russian)
бездонный, глубокий, ужасный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - abismal, insondable, muy profundo

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - avgrundsdjup, bottenlös

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
深不可测的, 无底的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 深不可測的, 無底的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 끝없이 깊은

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 底知れぬ, 奈落の, 実にひどい

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) سحيق لا قعر له‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮רע מאד, מוחלט, עמוק‬

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