chasm

/ˈkæzəm/

//ˈkæzəm// noun

"chasm" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chasm” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,360. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,360
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A deep, steep-sided rift, gap or fissure; a gorge or abyss.

Corpus desk

Index EN-chasm · chasm · English

chasm · rank #30,360 · 8 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #30,360
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH charted

Nearest frequency peer: charted (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “chasm”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “chasm” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

chasm vs CSM
0% similar
chasm vs chat
60% similar
chasm vs chem
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for chasm
PropertyValue
Headwordchasm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkæzəm/
Letters5
Frequency rank#30,360
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “chasm”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).chasmlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “charted” (#30,359), “chevalier” (#30,361), “Chandigarh” (#30,358). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “chasm” is #30,360. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around chasm (IPA /ˈkæzəm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #30,360 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for chasm, with forms such as "cahsm", "cchasm", and "chams". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CSM", "chat", "chem", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin chasma, from Ancient Greek χάσμα (khásma, “abyss, cleft”). Doublet of chasma. Compare schism. The correct English form is chasm, spelled C-H-A-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A deep, steep-sided rift, gap or fissure; a gorge or abyss.
  2. 2
    A large difference of opinion.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how chasm appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. But always and ever there is a yawning chasm below[.]
  2. Chelsea may not have regarded themselves as title rivals to City over the whole season but this was a harrowing illustration of the current chasm between the two sides and made for disturbing viewing for the Italian.

Etymology

From Latin chasma, from Ancient Greek χάσμα (khásma, “abyss, cleft”). Doublet of chasma. Compare schism.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cahsm
  • cchasm
  • chams
  • chasmm
  • chassm
  • chhasm
  • chsam
  • hcasm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chasm - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cahsm2cchasm1chams2chasmm1chassm1chhasm1chsam2hcasm2
Edit distance from "chasm"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chasm"?
"chasm" is spelled C-H-A-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæzəm/.
What does "chasm" mean?
As a noun, "chasm" means: A deep, steep-sided rift, gap or fissure; a gorge or abyss.
What words are commonly confused with "chasm"?
"chasm" is commonly confused with "CSM", "chat", "chem". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chasm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chasm" is /ˈkæzəm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "chasm"?
From Latin chasma, from Ancient Greek χάσμα (khásma, “abyss, cleft”). Doublet of chasma. Compare schism. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "chasm", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list