# depths

/ˈdɛpθs/ (US) · /dˈɛpθs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/depths
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. deep water

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

the deepest part of the ocean or a large lake.

For teachers: the deepest regions of a body of water. Often used with the definite article.

- Strange creatures live in the depths of the ocean where no light reaches.
- The wreckage of the vessel lay undisturbed in the silent depths of the Atlantic for over a century before it was finally located.

Usage: Usually appears as 'the depths'.

### 2. remote or central part

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

the middle or most hidden part of a place like a forest or a building.

For teachers: the most remote, central, or inaccessible part of a physical space.

- They got lost in the depths of the forest and couldn't find the path.
- Deep in the depths of the archives, the researcher discovered a series of letters that changed the historical narrative of the war.

### 3. intense feelings

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

the strongest or most serious part of a feeling, like sadness or despair.

For teachers: the most intense or extreme stage of an emotional state or a difficult period.

- In the depths of her sadness, she found it hard to talk to anyone.
- Even in the depths of winter, the community remained hopeful that the economic situation would improve by spring.

### 4. lowest point

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

the worst or lowest level of behavior or quality.

For teachers: the lowest or most degraded state or quality; a figurative nadir.

- The team reached new depths of poor performance during the final game.
- Critics argued that the tabloid's latest intrusion into the family's privacy represented a new depths of journalistic depravity.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'plumb the depths of'.

## Examples

- The divers explored the depths of the ocean.
- She found herself in the depths of despair after her business failed unexpectedly.
- The novel explores the depths of human nature, revealing how ordinary people react when pushed to their absolute limits by external pressure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.