stuck in the mud
Can't move forward
Stuck in the mud describes someone or something unable to move forward, literally mired in soft wet earth.
Figuratively, it characterizes a person resistant to change or new ideas—old-fashioned and inflexible: Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud; try something new.
The related noun stick-in-the-mud names such a person.
Unable to escape
- miredStuck in difficulty
- bogged downHindered, unable to advance
- strandedLeft without means to leave
- helplessUnable to act independently
anchored · rooted · motionless · spinning wheels · sinking · struggling · floundering · marooned
Acidic peat wetland
- marshGrassy waterlogged lowland
- swampWaterlogged land with vegetation
- mireBoggy, waterlogged terrain
- quagmireSoft, wet ground
slough · fen · wetland · quicksand · mudflat · silt · clay · rut
Without movement or progress
- outdatedNo longer in use
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- conservativeCautious about altering customs
behind the times · stubborn · obstinate · rigid · unadaptable · fuddy-duddy · traditionalist · set in ways
Identifier or classifier
- chaseRapid following of quarry
- childrenYoung human beings
- playgroundChildren's outdoor recreation space
- recessPause in activity
schoolyard · outdoor game · running · friends · circle · rules · it · freeze
trapped
Unable to escape
- miredStuck in difficulty
- bogged downHindered, unable to advance
- strandedLeft without means to leave
helpless · anchored · rooted · motionless · spinning wheels · sinking · struggling · floundering · marooned · lodged
bog
Acidic peat wetland
quagmire · slough · fen · wetland · quicksand · mudflat · silt · clay · rut · puddle
stagnant
Without movement or progress
- outdatedNo longer in use
- old-fashionedBelonging to earlier times
- inflexibleUnable to bend
conservative · behind the times · stubborn · obstinate · rigid · unadaptable · fuddy-duddy · traditionalist · set in ways · hidebound
tag
Identifier or classifier
- chaseRapid following of quarry
- childrenYoung human beings
- playgroundChildren's outdoor recreation space
recess · schoolyard · outdoor game · running · friends · circle · rules · it · freeze · capture
- playground gamestag, hide and seek, hopscotch, freeze, capture the flag
- chase gamestag, freeze tag, hide and seek, capture the flag, cops and robbers
stuck in the mudunstuck
No longer attached
on the move · cruising · liberated · mobile · in motion
stuck in the mudprogressive
Favoring reform and innovation
open-minded · forward-thinking · moving forward · innovative · free-thinking
stuck in the mudfree spirit
Uninhibited, unconventional person
adventurous · spontaneous · lively · fun-loving · go-getter