depth

The distance from the top or surface of something to its bottom.

• What is the depth of this pool?
• The lake reaches a depth of twenty metres.
• Water depths vary along the coast.

How to use it: the depth of something (We measured the depth of the pool.)

Similar words: deepness, lowness, abyss, bottom

Common phrases: depth of something, water depth, maximum depth

How strong a feeling is, or how much thought, detail, or importance something has.

• I could feel the depth of her sadness.
• His argument lacks depth.
• We studied the subject in depth.

How to use it: the depth of something (I was surprised by the depth of her knowledge.); in depth (We discussed the problem in depth.)

Similar words: intensity, profundity

Opposites: superficiality

Common phrases: depth of feeling, great depth, in depth

The distance from the front of something to its back.

• Measure the depth of the drawer.
• The desk has a depth of sixty centimetres.
• These shelves have different depths.

How to use it: the depth of something (Check the depth of the cupboard before buying it.)

Common phrases: depth of something, cabinet depth, shelf depth

The lowest or deepest part of something, especially the sea.

• The ship sank into the depths.
• Few creatures can survive in these ocean depths.
• Divers searched the depths of the lake.

How to use it: the depths of something (Strange fish live in the depths of the ocean.)

Similar words: bottom

Common phrases: ocean depths, in the depths, depths of something

The appearance of having space between nearer and farther parts, rather than looking flat.

• Shadows give the picture depth.
• The artist used perspective to create depth.
• Without shading, the drawing had little depth.

Similar words: dimensionality

Common phrases: sense of depth, create depth, depth in something

The quality of a voice or sound being low rather than high.

• His voice has great depth.
• The drum adds depth to the sound.
• Age had given her voice more depth.

Similar words: lowness

Common phrases: depth of voice, depth of sound, depth of tone