brackish

adjective

brack·​ish ˈbra-kish 

1

: somewhat salty

brackish water

2

a

: not appealing to the taste

brackish tea

b

: repulsive

a brackish personality

brackishness noun

Did you know?

When the word brackish first appeared in English in the 1500s, it simply meant “salty,” as did its Dutch parent brac. Then, as now, brackish was used to describe water that was a mixture of saltwater and freshwater, such as one encounters where a river meets the sea. Since that time, however, brackish has developed the additional meanings of “unpalatable” and “repulsive,” presumably because of the oozy, mucky, and sometimes stinky (or stinkyish, if you prefer)—not just salty—qualities of coastal estuaries and swamps.

Synonyms of brackish

• unappetizing
• unpalatable
• distasteful
• unsavory
• horrible
• nasty
• bland
• bad
• awful
• filthy
• yucky
• repulsive
• loathsome

Examples of brackish in a Sentence

the office coffee is often some brackish brew that's been sitting around for a couple of hours

the river becomes brackish as we approach the tidemark

Recent Examples on the Web

Take precautions during water activities Swimmers, particularly those in southern states and warm coastal waters, should expect a minimal risk of contracting a pathogen in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, brackish waters, and hot springs. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Necrotizing fasciitis can be contracted when bacteria that thrives in warm, brackish waters enters the body through open cuts, scrapes, burns or other puncture wounds, or by eating raw or undercooked shellfish. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

The slender island, about 3 miles across at its widest point, is flanked by warm Gulf waters and a brackish bay, which hold an abundance of native species, such as grouper, red snapper, and shrimp. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 July 2026

This had a multiplying effect, as paddy fields next to shrimp ponds turned brackish and rice yields collapsed. — Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Dutch brac salty; akin to Middle Low German brac salty

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brackish

• blackish

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

brackish

adjective

brack·​ish ˈbrak-ish 

: somewhat salty

brackish water