chasm
Americannoun
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a yawning fissure or deep cleft in the earth's surface; gorge.
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a breach or wide fissure in a wall or other structure.
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a marked interruption of continuity; gap.
a chasm in time.
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a sundering breach in relations, as a divergence of opinions, beliefs, etc., between persons or groups.
noun
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a deep cleft in the ground; abyss
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a break in continuity; gap
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a wide difference in interests, feelings, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chasm
1590–1600; apocopated variant of chasma < Latin < Greek, equivalent to cha- (root of chaínein to gape; see yawn) + -( a ) sma resultative suffix
Explanation
A chasm is a deep divide, either literal or figurative, such as a giant chasm in an ice cap or the growing chasm between two friends who haven't spoken in a long time. The first syllable in chasm sounds like cat without the t sound: "CA-zum." It comes from the Greek word khasma, meaning "yawning hollow, gulf" and was originally used to describe a split in a land formation, such as a deep crack caused by an earthquake. The word still retains that sense, but today can also mean "a profound division between people or beliefs," such as a chasm between Republicans and Democrats.
Vocabulary lists containing chasm
The Lightning Thief
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Geological Features
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The City of Ember
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The clearest manifestation is the chasm in per capita gross domestic product: $94,400 in the U.S., according to the International Monetary Fund, compared with $65,300 in Germany, $61,000 in the U.K. and $52,000 in France.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
It will demand rebuilding civic trust between people who have been on the opposite side of a deep moral and political chasm.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
There’s a growing chasm between the number of sellers and buyers in the market in L.A., mirroring a national trend.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
If Spurs players are struggling to cope with the threat of relegation, the two-point gap to West Ham United with only six games left may suddenly feel like a chasm.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Percy had managed to grab a ledge about fifteen feet below the top of the chasm.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
