as in marsh
spongy land saturated or partially covered with water
a day spent trudging through the fens in quest of game birds
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Recent Examples of fen
Out in the wild, the queen-of-the-prairie grows in moist black soil prairies and meadows, fens, seeps and springs.
—
Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Saving a satyr The property features a peat-bearing wetland called a fen, and the Mitchell’s satyr is only found in these rare habitats that take thousands of years to develop.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Dec. 2024
Earth’s earliest wildfires may have been fitful and erratic, flickering among the amphibious flora of fens and bogs.
—Ferris Jabr, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
They can be found on all continents and are classified into bogs, fens and swamps.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
But after decades of habitat destruction, these handsome insects are now fragmented and locally extinct, holding out in the wettest fens, valleys, and peat bogs of the New Forest and Dorset.
—Matthew Ponsford, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
The plants have been found in Indiana's forested wetlands, fens, savannas and forests as well as long roadsides and in old crop fields.
—The Indianapolis Star, 19 Mar. 2024
According to Indiana's Department of Natural Resources, wetlands include bogs, dune and swale, fens, flatwoods, floodplain forests, marshes, ponds, lakes, sedge meadows, seeps, streams, creeks, major rivers and swamps.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Feb. 2024
Traversing swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, bayous and baygalls across Georgia, Louisiana and his home of East Texas, Carter creates haunting photographs that invoke the imagination.
—Donny Bajohr, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Dec. 2023
Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Saving a satyr The property features a peat-bearing wetland called a fen, and the Mitchell’s satyr is only found in these rare habitats that take thousands of years to develop.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Dec. 2024
Earth’s earliest wildfires may have been fitful and erratic, flickering among the amphibious flora of fens and bogs.
—Ferris Jabr, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
They can be found on all continents and are classified into bogs, fens and swamps.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
But after decades of habitat destruction, these handsome insects are now fragmented and locally extinct, holding out in the wettest fens, valleys, and peat bogs of the New Forest and Dorset.
—Matthew Ponsford, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024
The plants have been found in Indiana's forested wetlands, fens, savannas and forests as well as long roadsides and in old crop fields.
—The Indianapolis Star, 19 Mar. 2024
According to Indiana's Department of Natural Resources, wetlands include bogs, dune and swale, fens, flatwoods, floodplain forests, marshes, ponds, lakes, sedge meadows, seeps, streams, creeks, major rivers and swamps.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Feb. 2024
Traversing swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, bayous and baygalls across Georgia, Louisiana and his home of East Texas, Carter creates haunting photographs that invoke the imagination.
—Donny Bajohr, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fen
Noun
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There are also a ton of coastal marshes and estuaries that draw black ducks and mallards.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
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After a deep dive on the biodiversity of the refuge, nearby Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve is a top spot for scoping out wood ducks and American woodcocks thanks to its verdant marshes, but for a truly unique perspective on the Outer Banks, don’t miss out on Jockey’s Ridge State Park.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Noun
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Check out 10 miles of wooded trails through wetlands and varying types of terrain that will appeal to beginner and novice hikers alike.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
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Developers must assess the nearby population and infrastructure, search for endangered species, and assess wetlands.—
Daniel Stout,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Whole home fans and swamp coolers, which bring in air from outside, should be avoided unless there is no other means to keep cool.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Aug. 2025
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Instead, consider making a homemade air conditioner or swamp cooler.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fen. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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