as in plumbing
to measure the depth of (as a body of water) typically with a weighted line
the pilot had to continually fathom the river, which drought conditions had lowered to unprecedented levels
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Recent Examples of fathoming
However, Chiefs veteran center Creed Humphrey says his team won't be listening to those, or even fathoming the thought of panicking.
—
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Advertisement Svetlana’s optimistic pretend normalcy and Lyudmila’s practical approach to medication point to impossibility of fathoming the many crushing consequences of the Ukraine crisis.
—Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Advertisement Svetlana’s optimistic pretend normalcy and Lyudmila’s practical approach to medication point to impossibility of fathoming the many crushing consequences of the Ukraine crisis.
—Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fathoming
Verb
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If brands spent the last few years plumbing the looks and vibes of the early 2000s — Miu Miu’s low-rise waistlines and Abercrombie’s prep and all that — ‘90s fever has now taken hold.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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When to Call a Professional DIYers without plumbing experience should not attempt this project on their own.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Developed through a collaboration between Leju Robotics and Dongfang Precision Science and Technology, the plant highlights China’s growing focus on scaling robotics output.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
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So if necessary, Hall recommends scaling back the duration and intensity of your workouts to help prevent overfatigue.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fathoming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fathoming. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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