quicksand

noun

quick·​sand ˈkwik-ˌsand How to pronounce quicksand (audio)
Synonyms of quicksandnext
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

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
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.
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 Such fluidity also extends to Amrum itself, where the land and water ebb and flow into one another, forming mudflats and murky patches of quicksand. David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quicksand

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quicksand was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quicksand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quicksand. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

quicksand

noun
quick·​sand ˈkwik-ˌsand How to pronounce quicksand (audio)
: a deep mass of loose sand mixed with water into which heavy objects sink

More from Merriam-Webster on quicksand

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster