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Definition of "fathom" []

  • A unit of length equal to 6 feet (1.83 meters), used principally in the measurement and specification of marine depths. (noun)
  • To penetrate to the meaning or nature of; comprehend. (verb-transitive)
  • To determine the depth of; sound. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "fathom" in a sentence
  • "What I can not fathom is the support that progressive economists like Paul Krugman and Brad DeLong have shown for him throughout this crisis, and now for renomination."
  • "What I fail to fathom is why accumulating capital in these small, family pools is in any way good for the economy and/or the GDP, measured as the number of economic exchanges."
  • "What I find very hard to fathom is that the Clintons who lost fair and square continue to seek ways to undermine Obama."