abyss of failure
- noun
- Repeated setbacks pushed her dangerously close to an abyss of failure.
Examples
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The novel's protagonist struggles to escape his abyss of failure and find redemption.
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The team fell into an abyss of failure after several losses.
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After the company's bankruptcy, many employees felt trapped in an abyss of failure.
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He found himself in an abyss of failure after losing his job.
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After the company's bankruptcy, many employees felt trapped in an abyss of failure.
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Repeated setbacks pushed her dangerously close to an abyss of failure.
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He found himself in an abyss of failure after losing his job.
Synonyms
210
3.5
A complete loss of hope
79
7.4
A very deep, bottomless hole that feels impossible to reach
10
4.8
A project or organization that is failing and likely to collapse
2
9.0
A very deep feeling of sadness with no hope
1
9.9
A deep sadness that lasts a long time and is hard to escape
1
3.7
A situation that is a total failure causing big problems
A very strong feeling that nothing will get better and you have no hope
Antonyms
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'abyss' (a profound void or chasm) combined with 'failure' yields the image of a very deep or extreme state of failure. The structure noun + of + noun is a standard compositional pattern and, although metaphorical, the extension is straightforward and likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows the component words.
Etymology
Abyss of failure comes from the image of a very deep, dark hole called an abyss, where someone can fall and be lost. So being in an abyss of failure means being trapped in a very deep state of 'failure' or 'despair' and finding it hard to climb out.