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quicksand

noun

ˈkwik-ˌsand How to pronounce quicksand (audio)
Definition of quicksandnext
as in trap
something that catches and holds mired in the quicksand of credit card debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of quicksand The Moon may not be coated by miles-deep quicksand, but it is covered with countless microscopic knives. — Elijah Tan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 Don’t fall into the quicksand of using AI as a replacement for your own mental engagement. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 June 2026 There are reasons the 2026 Giants aren’t trapped in the same quicksand as the Mets, Phillies or Red Sox, and those reasons are encouraging. — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 In hydra-like fashion, Carr’s agenda saw Jimmy Kimmel pulled into political and cultural quicksand last year as Nexstar pulled the ABC late-night host off its stations for more than a week. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quicksand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quicksand
  1. trap
  2. tangle
  3. quagmire
  4. labyrinth
  5. morass
  6. maze
  7. web
  8. entanglement
Noun
  • The former—a dark blue microfiber on the outer part of the cloth—breaks up bigger pieces of grime, while the light blue microfiber on the inner part traps and absorbs dirt.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Across 13 tracks, Emjay (whose stage name is an acronym for her real name, María José) fuses genres like pop, rock, trap and hyperpop, turning the mix into an act of uninhibited freedom.
    — Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of trap
Noun
  • The brain’s surface has ridges and valleys, and CTE tangles are found in the depths of those valleys, called the cortical sulci, and surround blood vessels.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Brushing controls shedding, removes debris and prevents tangles.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of tangle
Noun
  • Lassen is so on the same page, and forever grateful to Frankel for freeing her from the dating-app quagmire.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The Tigers grew into a national power as Ole Miss bumbled through various coaches and an NCAA quagmire brought on by Hugh Freeze.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of quagmire
Noun
  • In the cobwebbed sub-basement of a Swedish library, an unnamed narrator discovers a labyrinth of twenty-six rooms.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • This stone is part of a larger labyrinth that eventually reaches an ocean in a system of deep, powerful interdependence.
    — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of labyrinth
Noun
  • For the moment, the Defense Department’s investments are operating in a legal morass that lawmakers in both parties see as unsustainable.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Pattinson plays him like a man whose voice and demeanor could change at will, an ambitious morass of contradictions.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of morass
Noun
  • But without blueprints, safety rules or ownership, those solutions become a maze of duplicate apps, weak controls and fragile workflows.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Pumpkin Festival The annual Pumpkin Festival returns to Stone Mountain Park with a new hay maze, character meet-and-greets, storytelling, a pie-eating contest and more.
    — Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of maze
Noun
  • The hacker specifically claimed there was no effective rate limiting or web application firewall protection against the activity.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The New Museum has never felt more connected to the larger cross-Atlantic web of institutions.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of web
Noun
  • The county agreed to help with Piney Point’s closure after its own entanglement in the site’s problematic history.
    — Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The entanglement entropy depends on the area, not the volume.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of entanglement

Browse Nearby Words

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quicksand
quicksands
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Cite this Entry

“Quicksand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quicksand. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on quicksand

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about quicksand

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