quicksand

noun

quick·sand | \ ˈkwik-ˌsand

Definition of quicksand

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

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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 It’s like filling the starting blocks with quicksand, for the Olympic 100-meter finals. — Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, "Doc's morning line: Taking stock of Pete Rose on his birthday," 14 Apr. 2021 As with quicksand, starch molecules are separated by a layer of water. — H. Joachim Schlichting, Scientific American, "Ketchup Is Not Just a Condiment: It Is Also a Non-Newtonian Fluid," 12 Mar. 2021 To help pull themselves out of the quicksand of tribal Christianity, white evangelicals also have a powerful tool right in their midst: their own teenagers. — Charles King, Time, "I, Too, Was Once a Soldier of the Apocalypse: Why White Evangelicals Must Choose Between Reform and American Extremism," 1 Mar. 2021 Kismet is young, to be sure, but the quickly-rising star crafts deeply-stirring character with crackling vinyl noise, deep-water melodies and a half-time rhythm that weighs on the body like quicksand. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "First Spin: The Week's Best New Dance Tracks From Moore Kismet, Imanbek & Rita Ora, Surf Mesa & More," 12 Feb. 2021 Airing for five seasons on the cable network, Episodes is about a couple of Brits who get mired in the quicksand of the Hollywood TV system. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, "The 100 Best TV Shows on Netflix Right Now," 1 Feb. 2021 Today, the country appears ready once again for a short list of straightforward steps to extricate America from the current health and economic quicksand. — Robert Moilanen, Star Tribune, "A mission for a new administration: Tell the truth, obey the law," 27 Dec. 2020 As the shifting quicksand of the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives, many Bay Area residents, by choice or necessity, have undergone a professional metamorphosis. — Samantha Nobles-block, SFChronicle.com, "These Bay Area residents found new careers during the pandemic — by choice or necessity," 22 Dec. 2020 Earlier that night, the two of them had concluded their long journey from Guatemala by walking for hours in the whistling desert wind, losing sight of their own feet in mud that felt like quicksand. — New York Times, "Three Years After Family Separation, Her Son Is Back. But Her Life Is Not.," 7 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quicksand.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.