quicksand

American  

[kwik-sand] / ˈkwɪkˌsænd /

noun

1. a bed of soft or loose sand saturated with water and having considerable depth, yielding under weight and therefore tending to suck down any object resting on its surface.

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quicksand British  

/ ˈkwɪkˌsænd /

noun

1. a deep mass of loose wet sand that submerges anything on top of it

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quicksand Scientific  

/ kwĭk′sănd′ /

1. A deep bed of loose, smoothly rounded sand grains, saturated with water and forming a soft, shifting mass that yields easily to pressure and tends to engulf objects resting on its surface. Although it is possible for a person to drown while mired in quicksand, the human body is less dense than any quicksand and is thus not drawn or sucked beneath the surface as is sometimes popularly believed.

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Other Word Forms

• quicksandy adjective

Etymology

Origin of quicksand

First recorded in 1275–1325, quicksand is from the Middle English word qwykkesand. See quick, sand

Example Sentences

That early access gave Xi a front-row seat to the raw mechanics of military power—and taught him that the commander who doesn’t fully control the generals is a leader standing on quicksand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

For the next eight years, as if submerging into quicksand, I sank deeper into debt.

From Salon • May 11, 2025

So I know all too well that the hype is built on quicksand — specifically, a seven-decade history of failure.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2025

Newcastle could, and should, have added more as they simply over-powered a Liverpool team who looked like they were running in quicksand, this loss compounding the midweek Champions League exit against PSG on penalties.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2025

I knew if I ran, the sobbing would pursue me, and the water would thicken into quicksand.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• ambush
• bait
• booby trap
• device
• net
• pitfall
• ploy
• quagmire
• ruse