ankle-deep
Americanadjective
-
high enough to reach or cover the ankles.
ankle-deep mud.
-
deeply involved or entangled.
He is ankle-deep in financial troubles.
adverb
Etymology
Origin of ankle-deep
First recorded in 1755–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shopowner Chayaphol Promkleng thought at first that his business would be spared because flooding was "only ankle-deep".
From Barron's ● Nov. 28, 2025
That feeling is shared by fishermen ankle-deep in creek bed on the outskirts of town, drawn to the area by the allure of some of the world's finest salmon.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2025
A wet snow fell in Toledo on Friday, coating the streets in ankle-deep slush.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2024
Their home was surrounded by ankle-deep putrid water.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 30, 2023
Johnny was standing ankle-deep in the ocean, his jeans rolled up.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
