chasm

noun \ ˈka-zə m \

Updated on: 8 Dec 2017

Definition of chasm

1 : a deep cleft in the surface of a planet (such as the earth) : gorge

built a bridge over the chasm

2 : a marked division, separation, or difference

the chasm between the rich and the poor

See chasm defined for English-language learners

See chasm defined for kids

Examples of chasm in a Sentence

a chasm in the ocean floor

Recent Examples of chasm from the Web

Leave it to Las Vegas to put into perspective the burgeoning chasm between the LSU and Alabama football programs.

— jeff duncan, NOLA.com, "The Nicktator is the difference maker in one-sided Alabama-LSU rivalry," 3 Nov. 2017
On another, the Harteaus are crawling along the craggy plateaus and green chasms of the Chapada Diamantina National Park in Brazil, hippie wanderers in the age of social media.

— matt pearce, latimes.com, "L.A. family disappears after pirate raid in Amazon rainforest, then re-emerges on a surfboard," 2 Nov. 2017
The margins between the clubs are razor thin compared to 2016 when there were chasms separating teams at the top and bottom of the league.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "FC Cincinnati takeaways: Emotions swirling down the stretch," 13 Sep. 2017
Yet even as gun control advocates hope for modest changes in the law, such as a ban on devices that convert rifles into automatic weapons, many admit this latest debate could go nowhere, swallowed up again by a deep cultural chasm between Americans.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Take the gun debate to a shared level," 5 Oct. 2017
That promise was quickly put to a stiff test after the presidential election by the partisan chasm on health care.

— susan kelleher, The Seattle Times, "U.S. Sen. Patty Murray is working with Republicans on a fix for Obamacare," 13 Sep. 2017
This educational gap would exacerbate the economic chasms between the two groups.

— clint smith, New Republic, "Affirmative Action as Reparations," 5 Sep. 2017
Although the league remains competitive, the financial divide between clubs in the Championship is continually growing and the chasm is getting wider by the season.

— SI.com, "FanView: Parachute Payments Hamper Ambitions of Languishing Championship Clubs," 31 Oct. 2017
The closest Decker equivalent would be this shot of London appearing behind the Australian flag set to the French national anthem: The funnest and funniest thing about Decker is the chasm separating its obvious ambitions from their execution.

— sascha stanton-craven, Slate Magazine, "The Trump Administration Is Stealing Our Jokes," 21 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chasm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.