Make Your Point, Jr. > Words in ABC Order > chasm

Study the word CHASM: (Source) A chasm is a large, deep crack or tear in the earth. Chasms might form during an earthquake. Here's Homer trying to stop Marge and her friend from driving into a chasm. (Source) The word "chasm" traces back to an old Greek word meaning "yawning." That makes sense when you think of how a chasm looks like the whole earth is yawning, its mouth seeming to split wide open, leaving a huge, deep gap. (Source) In a figurative way, a chasm is often some huge difference or huge separation between things or people. The idea here is that the difference or separation is so deep and so wide that you can't possibly cross from one side to the other, like a deep, wide crack in the earth. For example, if you adore video games and you hate books, but your friend adores books and hates video games, you might sometimes feel as though there's a chasm between you. You might feel like it's hard or impossible to cross that chasm: to find something fun to do together that you'll both enjoy. (Source) In another figurative sense, a chasm can be a huge blankness or emptiness of some kind. As in, "I tried to remember what I did in the year 2020, when the world was caught up in the COVID pandemic, but that year is a chasm in my memory." (Source) You might be wondering why "chasm" is pronounced that way, "KAZZ um," instead of "CHAZZ um." Well, like the words "chaos," "school," "technology," and "Chloe," the word "chasm" traces back to a Greek word. And when Greek words enter English, we typically pronounce the "ch" as "k."   Make a flash card: You can write your own definition and choose your own picture, or copy mine. Term Definition Picture chasm a big gaping crack, or a big emptiness or distance   Write your own sentence! You can use either of the two ideas I'll suggest, or you can invent your own. Include as much detail as you can! (Source)   Write a sentence with the word CHASM: Remember: a chasm splits something into halves by tearing it open, either literally in the earth, or figuratively in time, memory, or relationships. Idea 1: "I stand at the edge of the chasm, peering down into the (something) and wondering what would happen if I (did something)." Idea 2: "It seems like a chasm has opened up between (someone) and me; we used to be (very close or similar in some way), but now (we're very far apart or very different in some way)." You can type in here. When you're done, copy and paste your sentence wherever you'd like it to go.