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.

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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

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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

There may be a chasm separating Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s heels from the rears of his dress shoes, but guess what?

From Slate • Mar. 14, 2026

George Russell said he believed a "perfect storm" accounted for the chasm between Mercedes and their rivals in qualifying at the first race of the new Formula 1 season.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Creating this chasm of mistrust between patient and provider will have devastating effects on the vaccination rates of children in the U.S. that may take a decade or even a generation to correct.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

“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 • Feb. 6, 2026

Sometimes, they paused to peer down into the chasm they’d climbed up.

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

Related Words

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