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minefield

American

[mahyn-feeld] / ˈmaɪnˌfild /

noun

Military, Naval. an area of land or water throughout which explosive mines have been laid.
a situation fraught with potential problems or dangers.

Businesses face an ethical minefield when they operate internationally.

minefield British

/ ˈmaɪnˌfiːld /

noun

an area of ground or water containing explosive mines
a subject, situation, etc, beset with hidden problems

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of minefield

First recorded in 1885–90; mine ² + field

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.

See Examples For:

minefield

The fact is, life is a minefield of potential hurt feelings, and it’s hard for people to navigate it without upsetting some.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026

How can anyone be expected to navigate the minefield?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

Vance's diplomatic mission to Islamabad is a political minefield.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

Detailed minefield plans would then have to be drawn up, on paper and via a smartphone app which is in development.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

“God, we’ll miss you,” Mom said suddenly, stepping through the minefield of suitcases to get to the bed.

From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023