English vocabulary · C1
Morass
/məˈræs/ · n.
It means a complicated and confusing situation that is very hard to get out of. It can also mean a real swamp or wet muddy ground.
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Example sentences
- The company sank into a morass of debt and bad decisions.
- The rescue team moved slowly through the cold morass.
Word origin and roots
from Dutch
- moeras — swamp (from Dutch)
Synonyms and nuances
- MESS — a state of confusion or disorder (Casual & Broad)
- SWAMP — a wet area or overwhelming situation (Literal & Figurative)
- TANGLE — a confused mix of things (Knotted & Complex)
Similar words
- mess
- swamp
- tangle
Lesson notes
Morass. It means a complicated and confusing situation that is very hard to get out of. It can also mean a real swamp or wet muddy ground.
Related: mess, swamp, tangle. Use morass when a situation has become so complicated that no clear way out exists.
The company sank into a morass of debt and bad decisions. The rescue team moved slowly through the cold morass.
From Dutch. moeras- means swamp. A swamp you cannot escape from: that is a morass.