quicksand

/ˈkwɪkˌsænd/

//ˈkwɪkˌsænd// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"quicksand" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quicksand” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,842. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,842
frequency rank, English
288
“Q” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.

Corpus desk

Index EN-quicksand · quicksand · English

quicksand · rank #42,842 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #42,842
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 288
  • PHOTO-FINISH Pythagoras

Nearest frequency peer: Pythagoras (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “quicksand”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “quicksand” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for quicksand
PropertyValue
Headwordquicksand
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkwɪkˌsænd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#42,842
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “quicksand”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).quicksandlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Pythagoras” (#42,841), “pushover” (#42,840), “publicised” (#42,839). Among 288 “Q” headwords, “quicksand” is #42,842. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around quicksand (IPA /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #42,842 among 288 “Q” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for quicksand, with forms such as "qiucksand", "qquicksand", and "quciksand". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English quyksande, from Old English cwecesand (“quicksand”), equivalent to quick (“living”) + sand. Cognate with Swedish kvicksand (“quicksand”), Icelandic kviksandur, kviksyndi (“quicksand”). More at quick, sand. The correct English form is quicksand, spelled Q-U-I-C-K-S-A-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.
  2. 2
    Anything that metaphorically pulls one down or buries one; a treacherous, risky danger

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how quicksand appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. My feet were firmly lodged in the quicksand, and the more I struggled the more I sank into it.
  2. the quicksands of youth

Etymology

From Middle English quyksande, from Old English cwecesand (“quicksand”), equivalent to quick (“living”) + sand. Cognate with Swedish kvicksand (“quicksand”), Icelandic kviksandur, kviksyndi (“quicksand”). More at quick, sand.

Synonyms

syrtissyrt

This word in other languages

sables mouvants(Français)Treibsand(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • qiucksand
  • qquicksand
  • quciksand
  • quiccksand
  • quickasnd
  • quickksand
  • quicksadn
  • quicksandd
  • quicksannd
  • quicksnad
  • quickssand
  • quicskand
  • quikcsand
  • uqicksand

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of quicksand - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

qiucksand2qquicksand1quciksand2quiccksand1quickasnd2quickksand1quicksadn2quicksandd1
Edit distance from "quicksand"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "quicksand"?
"quicksand" is spelled Q-U-I-C-K-S-A-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/.
What does "quicksand" mean?
As a noun, "quicksand" means: Wet sand that appears firm but in which things readily sink, often found near rivers or coasts.
What are common misspellings of "quicksand"?
Common misspellings include "qiucksand", "qquicksand", "quciksand", "quiccksand", "quickasnd". The correct spelling is "quicksand".
How do you pronounce "quicksand"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quicksand" is /ˈkwɪkˌsænd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "quicksand"?
From Middle English quyksande, from Old English cwecesand (“quicksand”), equivalent to quick (“living”) + sand. Cognate with Swedish kvicksand (“quicksand”), Icelandic kviksandur, kviksyndi (“quicksand”). More at quick, sand. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "quicksand", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

prostrate#42,837Reichstag#42,856ridership#42,870sasquatch#42,881

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

sepulchre14 variantsMorristown14 variantsSpaulding14 variantsMarysville14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list