What does "marsh" mean?
An area of low, wet land, often with tall grass or herbaceous plants. (Compare swamp, bog, fen, morass.)
Marsh
/mɑɹʃ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An area of low, wet land, often with tall grass or herbaceous plants. (Compare swamp, bog, fen, morass.)
- Grammar: marsh is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: marshland, bayou, bog, bottom.
- Useful contrasts: dryland ecosystem, arid land, dry land.
- Usage evidence: Lots of herons live in the marsh.
How to use "marsh"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "marsh" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "marsh" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "marsh" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "marsh" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "marsh" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "marshland" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "marsh", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An area of low, wet land, often with tall grass or herbaceous plants. (Compare swamp, bog, fen, morass.)
"Many animals live in the marsh."
- 2 low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A topographic surname from Middle English for someone living by a marsh.
- 2 A number of places in England:; A hamlet in Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh parish, Buckinghamshire, previously in Wycombe district (OS grid ref SP8109).
- 3 A number of places in England:; A small village in Yarcombe parish, East Devon district, Devon (OS grid ref ST2510).
- 4 A number of places in England:; A small suburb of Oxenhope, City of Bradford, West Yorkshire (OS grid ref SE0235).
- 5 A number of places in England:; A suburb of Cleckheaton, Kirklees borough, West Yorkshire (OS grid ref SE1925).
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in England:; A western suburb of Huddersfield, Kirklees borough, West Yorkshire (OS grid ref SE1217).
- 7 A township in Surry County, North Carolina, United States.
- 8 A township in Barnes County, North Dakota, United States.
Antonyms
dryland ecosystemarid landdry land
Example
"Lots of herons live in the marsh."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "marsh"?
Common synonyms include: marshland, bayou, bog, bottom, bottomland, bruch.
How do you use "marsh" in a sentence?
Lots of herons live in the marsh.
How do you pronounce "marsh"?
Pronounced /mɑɹʃ/.
Etymology
From Middle English merssh, from Old English mersċ, merisċ, from Proto-West Germanic *marisk, derived from *mari, equivalent to mere (“sea, body of water”) + -ish. Doublet of marish, morass, and merse. Cognate with West Frisian mersk, Dutch meers (“grassland, meadow”) and Dutch moeras, German Marsch. More at mere.