swamp
/swɒmp/ (bre, ipa) · /swɑːmp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈswämp ˈswȯmp/ (ame, mw)
swamp — noun
- swampsingular
- swampsplural
1. an area of ground that is completely wet and soft, often covered with muddy wate
an area of ground that is completely wet and soft, often covered with muddy water that cannot drain away, making it difficult to walk through
The hikers turned back when the trail became a swamp after three days of rain.
collocation: turn into a swamp
Alligators living in the swamp came out to warm themselves in the afternoon sun.
The children stayed away from the swamp behind the village because of the deep mud.
Heavy machinery could not cross the swamp, so the builders used wooden walkways instead.
- desert
a dry, arid region with little to no water
文法句型
a/the swamp
swamps (plural)
用法筆記
A swamp is wetter than a marsh and has more trees than a bog. Often used in the plural swamps when referring to a large wetland area.
常見錯誤
2. a type of wetland with trees and bushes growing in soil that stays wet for most
a type of wetland with trees and bushes growing in soil that stays wet for most of the year, forming a distinct natural environment for wildlife
Environmentalists are working to protect the swamp from being drained for new housing.
collocation: protect / drain a swamp
The swamp is home to rare birds that cannot survive anywhere else in the region.
Park rangers lead guided walks through the swamp every Saturday morning.
The swamp supports a rich variety of bird and insect life throughout the year.
- wetland
a broader term covering swamps, marshes, and bogs
- mangrove swamp
a specific type of coastal swamp with salt-tolerant trees
文法句型
the swamp
swamp ecosystem
swamp as a habitat
用法筆記
In ecological writing, swamp refers specifically to forested wetlands, as distinct from marsh (grassy) or bog (mossy). Uncountable when referring to the habitat type: 'areas of swamp were cleared.'
3. a very difficult or messy situation that feels nearly impossible to get out of,
a very difficult or messy situation that feels nearly impossible to get out of, especially one caused by too many problems, rules, or conflicting demands
The company found itself in a swamp of legal problems after the CEO was arrested.
collocation: a swamp of [problems]
Getting out of this bureaucratic swamp will take months of paperwork and meetings.
Without a plan, the project sank into a swamp of confusion and missed deadlines.
Shirin was trapped in a swamp of debt after losing her job last winter.
- breeze
informal; something that is very easy to do or deal with
文法句型
a swamp of [problems/difficulties]
in a swamp of [n.]
a bureaucratic swamp
用法筆記
Almost always figurative and preceded by a determiner (a/the swamp). Common in metaphor pairs: 'a swamp of...' and 'drag/drain/get out of the swamp.' Not used in formal academic writing.
常見錯誤
swamp — verb
- swamppresent simple I / you / we / they
- swamps3rd person singular
- swamping-ing form
- swampedpast simple
1. to submerge something entirely under water, so that it is covered and often unab
to submerge something entirely under water, so that it is covered and often unable to function or be used normally
Heavy rains swamped the coastal village, forcing hundreds of families to leave their homes.
active: rains + swamp + [place]
A wave from the passing boat swamped the little fishing boat, soaking everyone on board.
The basement was swamped by the rising river after the dam broke upstream.
The storm surge swamped the entire ground floor of the seaside hotel.
文法句型
swamp [noun]
be swamped by/with [water/inundation]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice ('be swamped'). The active form typically takes natural forces (rain, waves, floods) as the subject. Compare with 'flood' — swamp emphasises complete covering and immobilisation, while flood can mean water covering an area to any depth.
2. to give someone or a system more work, information, or requests than can be hand
to give someone or a system more work, information, or requests than can be handled, so that normal operation becomes impossible
The customer service team was swamped with calls after the website crashed on Monday morning.
passive: be swamped with [calls]
Small shops were swamped by holiday orders and had to hire temporary workers.
Roya felt swamped by all the paperwork on her first day at the new job.
The school's admission office was swamped with applications this year and ran out of forms.
- overwhelm
the closest synonym, but broader — can refer to emotions as well as tasks
- deluge
to give someone a very large amount of something at once; more dramatic
- flood
to arrive in large numbers; slightly less intense than swamp
- snow under
informal; means to give someone more work than they can handle
文法句型
swamp [person/system] with [n.]
be swamped with/by [requests/work/information]
用法筆記
Almost always passive (be/get/feel swamped). The active form exists but is rare: 'Requests swamped the office.' The preposition with is more common than by when specifying the overwhelming thing.
常見錯誤
3. when a piece of clothing is so large that it completely hides the shape of your
when a piece of clothing is so large that it completely hides the shape of your body and looks as though it is about to fall off your shoulders
The borrowed jacket swamped Kian, with the sleeves hanging well past his fingertips.
pattern: [clothes] swamp [person]
Élise's hand-me-down coat swamped her younger sister, making her look like a child in costume.
The oversized sweater swamped Tomás, but he wore it anyway because it was comfortable.
The charity shop coat swamped Adina, but she loved the warm fabric anyway.
- drown
similar meaning but more dramatic; 'drowned in a oversized shirt'
- swallow up
phrasal verb; 'the sleeves swallowed up his hands'
- fit
to be the right size for someone
文法句型
[clothes] swamp [person]
be swamped by [clothes]
用法筆記
This sense is less common than the other two verb senses. It is almost always used in the active voice with the clothing item as the subject. The passive ('be swamped by a coat') is possible but less natural.