What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Abysmal vs Abject - What's the difference?

abysmal | abject |

As adjectives the difference between abysmal and abject

is that abysmal is pertaining to, or resembling an abyss; unending; profound; fathomless; immeasurable while abject is rejected; cast aside.

As a noun abject is

a person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast.

As a verb abject is

to cast off or out; to reject.

abysmal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (now, rare) Pertaining to, or resembling an abyss; unending; profound; fathomless; immeasurable.
  • * Carlyle
    • Geology gives one the same abysmal extent of time that astronomy does of space.
  • (figurative, colloquial) Bottomless; extremely bad.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012
    • , date=June 9 , author=Owen Phillips , title=Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Robben curled an effort against the foot of the post from the edge of the box after being gifted the ball by an abysmal clearance from keeper Stephan Andersen.}}

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "abysmal" is often applied: ignorance, record, performance, poverty, conditions, quality, perplexity, result, and failure.

    References

    External links

    * *

    abject

    English

    Etymology 1

    * From (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • (obsolete) Rejected; cast aside.
  • Sunk to or existing in a low condition, state, or position.
  • *
  • Cast down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; grovelling; despicable; lacking courage; offered in a humble and often ingratiating spirit.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Showing utter hopelessness; helplessness; showing resignation; wretched.
  • *
    • Usage notes
    * Nouns to which "abject" is often applied: poverty, fear, terror, submission, misery, failure, state, condition, apology, humility, servitude, manner, coward.
    Synonyms
    * beggarly, contemptible, cringing, degraded, groveling, ignoble, mean, mean-spirited, slavish, vile, worthless
    Related terms
    * abjectly * abjectness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person in the lowest and most despicable condition; a castaway; outcast.
  • *
  • *

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) abjecten, derived from the adjective form.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To cast off or out; to reject.
  • *
  • (obsolete) To cast down; hence, to abase; to degrade; to lower; to debase.
    • (John Donne)
    Related terms
    * abjection

    References

    English heteronyms ----