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.
Then, when it rains — like it did this year — the mud can become thick and ankle-deep.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
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
The man rolled up his pants before dropping down into ankle-deep waste to to pull the bucket out.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
His stallion leapt from the end of the quay and over a splintered gunwale, landing with a splash and a scream in ankle-deep water.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
