bog

¹ American  

[bog, bawg] / bɒg, bɔg /

noun

1. wet, spongy ground with soil composed mainly of decayed vegetable matter.

2. an area or stretch of such ground.

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verb (used with or without object)

bogged, bogging

1. to sink in or as if in a bog (often followed bydown ).

   We were bogged down by overwork.

verb phrase

1. bog in to eat heartily and ravenously.

bog ² American  

[bog, bawg] / bɒg, bɔg /

noun

British Slang.

1. a lavatory; bathroom.

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bog British  

/ bɒɡ /

noun

1. wet spongy ground consisting of decomposing vegetation, which ultimately forms peat

2. an area of such ground

3. a place or thing that prevents or slows progress or improvement

4. a slang word for lavatory

5. slang the act or an instance of defecating

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bog Scientific  

/ bôg /

1. An area of wet, spongy ground consisting mainly of decayed or decaying peat moss (sphagnum) and other vegetation. Bogs form as the dead vegetation sinks to the bottom of a lake or pond, where it decays slowly to form peat. Peat bogs are important to global ecology, since the undecayed peat moss stores large amounts of carbon that would otherwise be released back into the atmosphere. Global warming may accelerate decay in peat bogs and release more carbon dioxide, which in turn may cause further warming.

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Other Word Forms

• bogginess
  noun
• boggish
  adjective
• boggy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bog¹

1495–1505; < Irish or Scots Gaelic bogach soft ground ( bog soft + -ach noun suffix); bog ¹ ( def. 4 ) perhaps a different word

Origin of bog²

1780–90; probably shortening of bog-house; compare bog to defecate, boggard (16th century) privy, of obscure origin

Explanation

You'd be pretty soggy by morning if you accidentally set your tent up in a bog. A bog is a swampy kind of ground made up mostly of decomposing plants and mosses. Nothing can be built on a bog because the ground is so spongy and damp, and no crops can be grown there. The dried soil from a bog can, however, be dried and burned for fuel. A figurative bog is anything that you tend to get stuck in, like a bog of health problems. Things can also "bog you down", or slow you down literally or figuratively, like when your homework bogs you down so you can't enjoy the weekend.

Example Sentences

But he’s also puckish – sylph-like and otherworldly, seductive and repellent, as likely to swaddle Sarah in her heart’s desire as he is to toss her into the belching, farting Bog of Eternal Stench.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026

There have been seven searches of the Bragan Bog area for Mr McVeigh' remains.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2025

The mazes at Coffin Creek had names like Chambers of the Mausoleum, Labyrinth of Lost Relics, Bog of the Abyss, the Dark Realm and Coffin Creek Manor, the legend’s namesake.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2025

Police were called to Lough Park in an area known as "the Bog" at about 19:30 GMT.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2024

Most people in the Protectorate drew their livelihoods from the Bog.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

Related Words

• lowland
• marshland
• wetlands