quagmire

noun

quag·​mire ˈkwag-ˌmī(-ə)r How to pronounce quagmire (audio) ˈkwäg- How to pronounce quagmire (audio)
plural quagmires
Synonyms of quagmire
1
: soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot
2
: a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : predicament

Synonyms of quagmire

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Examples of quagmire in a Sentence

That was six months ago, when the Defense secretary laughingly dismissed the idea that Iraq was, or could turn into, a quagmire. But as Rumsfeld sat down last Friday morning to face Sen. John McCain, who spent six years in a Vietnamese prison, no one was laughing. —Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2003
State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside. —Robert Wright, Time, 11 Jan.1999
the party was once again facing its quadrennial quagmire: the candidate sufficiently liberal to win the nomination would be too liberal for the general election a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Blair Levin, policy analyst at New Street Research, told Deadline via email that the time AT&T lost during the legal quagmire ultimately turned out to be a devastating blow. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 But the likely fake accounts potentially set up a legal quagmire for Temu, as European law bars the use of misleading formats for advertising. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Elaine Crossman, who also knew Indiana and owns a motel and art gallery on the town’s Main Street, told the Times that the renovation appeared to have become an expensive quagmire. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The dirt infield was a muddy quagmire, which drew the ire of the typically mild-mannered Bart Starr, then head coach of the Packers. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quagmire

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quagmire was in 1566

Rhymes for quagmire

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Browse Nearby Words

quaggy
quagmire
quagmiry
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Cite this Entry

“Quagmire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quagmire. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

quagmire

noun
quag·​mire ˈkwag-ˌmī(ə)r How to pronounce quagmire (audio) ˈkwäg- How to pronounce quagmire (audio)
1
: soft spongy wet ground that shakes or gives way under the foot
2
: a difficult situation from which it is hard to escape
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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