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unsounded

unsounded

1 9.8
Too deep to measure, often about water or caves
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈsaʊndɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : inexplorado
  • The depths of the ocean remain unsounded.

Examples

  • Ancient mariners spoke of unsounded waters where no one knew how deep the ocean lay.

  • The divers avoided the unsounded region of the cave, fearing hidden dangers in its depths.

  • He was fascinated by the unsounded mysteries beneath the earth's surface.

  • Many areas of the lake are still unsounded.

  • The ocean floor in this area remains largely unsounded due to its extreme depth.

  • Many parts of the cave system are still unsounded, leaving their full extent unknown.

  • This lake has several unsounded regions, making it difficult for researchers to map its depths.

Synonyms

profound
vsunsounded
10 6.2

Very deep and extending far down

denotes not having been measured or explored for depth
unplumbed
vsunsounded
  • Literature
1 9.9

Too deep to be measured or explored

focuses on being unmeasured because it is very deep
unfathomed
vsunsounded
1 9.9

Too deep or mysterious to understand

stresses lack of measurement rather than the added mystery
depthless
vsunsounded
1 7.2

So far down that it seems to have no bottom, like an ocean or someone's eyes

means unmeasured depth without necessarily implying no bottom
unsoundable
vsunsounded
  • Archaic
9.9

Too deep to measure, with a bottom you cannot find

refers to not having been measured or explored for depth

Antonyms

soundable
  • Archaic
9.1

You can measure the depth with a line or measuring tool

How Deep

unsounded
  • Specialized
1 9.8
bottomless
12 5.0
abyssal
1 9.8
deep
332 1.0
shallow
155 1.6

Surface Forms

unsounded positive

Morphology

unsounded = sounded (semi-transparent) = un + sound + ed

Formally a negation of 'sounded', but the sense 'measured for depth' is a specialized/nautical meaning that may be unfamiliar to some learners.

Etymology

Unsounded comes from un- 'not' and sound 'to measure depth', from the old practice of using a rope to 'sound' the sea. So it describes waters or places that have not been measured and whose depth is unknown.