marsh

noun

ˈmärsh 

often attributive

: a tract of soft wet land usually characterized by monocotyledons (such as grasses or cattails)

Synonyms of marsh

• wetland
• swamp

Examples of marsh in a Sentence

a wide expanse of marsh

the marshes along the coast support a remarkable profusion of plants and animals

Recent Examples on the Web

Systems to better protect oceans, coastal marshes and mangroves will also be on the agenda, as well as an emphasis on the indigenous people who live on and manage much of the world’s natural places. —Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

One of the hits of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, helmer Hadi’s poignant feature debut follows an impoverished girl living with her grandmother in the Mesopotamian marshes during the Saddam Hussein regime. —Alissa Simon, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025

There, the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François provides a gateway to the deeper Charlevoix region, designated as a UNESCO biosphere reserve for rich ecosystems that vary from coastal marshes to boreal forests. —Outside, 4 Nov. 2025

The Instagram post showed the group laughing and posing while shooting on a marsh outside Charleston. —Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mersh, from Old English merisc, mersc; akin to Middle Dutch mersch marsh, Old English mere sea, pool — more at marine

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing marsh

• marsh elder
• marsh gas
• marsh hawk
• marsh hen
• marsh mallow
• marsh marigold
• marsh pink
• salt marsh

Rhymes for marsh

• harsh

Kids Definition

marsh

noun

ˈmärsh 

: an area of soft wet land usually overgrown by grasses and sedges

marshy

ˈmär-shē

adjective

Biographical Definition

Marsh

biographical name

ˈmärsh 

Dame (Edith) Ngaio ˈnī-(ˌ)ō  1899–1982 New Zealand writer