quicksand

noun

quick·​sand ˈkwik-ˌsand How to pronounce quicksand (audio)
Synonyms of quicksandnext
1
: sand readily yielding to pressure
especially : a deep mass of loose sand mixed with water into which heavy objects readily sink
2
: something that entraps or frustrates
… lead poor people into consumerist quicksand.Robert Wright

Examples of quicksand in a Sentence

freed from the quicksands of war mired in the quicksand of credit card debt
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the quicksand flowed back as soon as the backpacker shoveled it away, Marshall said. CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025 Real quicksand is very different from the dramatic portrayals of Hollywood. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025 Just a few weeks ago, the Dallas Cowboys looked to be sinking in quicksand. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025 The trick works too on Dratch, who once feared monsters under her bed, and Oswalt, who jokes about quicksand being his biggest worry. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quicksand

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quicksand was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quicksand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quicksand. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

quicksand

noun
quick·​sand ˈkwik-ˌsand How to pronounce quicksand (audio)
: a deep mass of loose sand mixed with water into which heavy objects sink

More from Merriam-Webster on quicksand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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