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

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
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.
During this time, bogs, marshes, and other wetlands, historically seen as disease-ridden and deleterious to human health, were reevaluated by scientists and conservationists as valuable wildlife habitats. Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026 When the boat leaves the shallow saw grass marshes for a 90-foot-deep natural sinkhole called Gator Lake, get your camera ready. Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026 The light changes quickly over the marsh, and parking gets harder as the dinner crowd arrives. Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 The ripe salt-sea smell, raw and delicious and foul, that rose up from the platform and haunted the marsh for miles around, was today tamped down by the freshwater air blowing down from the north. Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for marsh

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of marsh was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Marsh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marsh. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

: an area of soft wet land usually overgrown by grasses and sedges
marshy
ˈmär-shē
adjective

Biographical Definition

Dame (Edith) Ngaio ˈnī-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce Marsh (audio) 1899–1982 New Zealand writer

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