chasm

American  

[kaz-uhm] / ˈkæz əm /

noun

1. a yawning fissure or deep cleft in the earth's surface; gorge.

2. a breach or wide fissure in a wall or other structure.

3. a marked interruption of continuity; gap.

   a chasm in time.

4. a sundering breach in relations, as a divergence of opinions, beliefs, etc., between persons or groups.

---

chasm British  

/ ˈkæzəm, ˈkæzməl /

noun

1. a deep cleft in the ground; abyss

2. a break in continuity; gap

3. a wide difference in interests, feelings, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• chasmal adjective
• chasmed adjective
• chasmic adjective
• chasmy adjective

Etymology

Origin of chasm

1590–1600; apocopated variant of chasma < Latin < Greek, equivalent to cha- (root of chaínein to gape; yawn ) + -( a ) sma resultative suffix

Example Sentences

More important, we should be wary of the vast chasm between the frenzied exaggerations of the media that attend this case and its actual significance.

From The Wall Street Journal

The cub’s selfish decisions lead to the tree laying itself across a chasm to save its surrogate child.

From Los Angeles Times

“This chasm between the game and its audience,” Mr. Klosterman writes, “is so vast that most people obsessed with football have no firsthand perspective on the object of their desire.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Alcott knew things rarely turn out the way you imagine them and the chasm between what you pictured and what you plated is the story.

From The Wall Street Journal

That opened up a five-point chasm, which persuaded the Estonians to shake hands and concede defeat with an end to spare.

From BBC

Related Words

• cleavage
• crater
• crevasse
• fissure
• gorge
• ravine
• rift
• schism
• void