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Definition of quicksand

quicksand

/ˈkwɪk.sænd/
quick · sand
Plural:quicksands
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quicksand Lexical Profile

quicksand Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A bed of loose, wet sand supersaturated with water that yields easily to pressure and tends to engulf heavy objects or people.

Example

"The hikers carefully avoided the patches of quicksand along the marshy riverbank."

2

A perilous, unstable, or entrapping situation from which it is difficult to escape.

Example

"The company found itself sinking into the financial quicksand of mounting high-interest debt."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for quicksand

• Nearby Words

quickie
quickly
quickness
quicksand
quicksilver
quickstep
quid

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'quik-sond', combining 'quick' in its older Old English sense of 'living' or 'shifting' (from 'cwic') and 'sand', literally meaning 'living sand' because of its fluid, moving nature.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Quicksand. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/quicksand
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