minefield
Americannoun
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Military, Naval. an area of land or water throughout which explosive mines have been laid.
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a situation fraught with potential problems or dangers.
Businesses face an ethical minefield when they operate internationally.
noun
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an area of ground or water containing explosive mines
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a subject, situation, etc, beset with hidden problems
Etymology
Origin of minefield
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.
Instead of a foundation trench, the machine had opened up not only a scramble for stolen treasure, but a legal minefield and forgotten moment of desperate rebellion from England's history.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
Now, authorities say that same spot is a minefield, and the islanders are scarred by their days living in an open-air prison.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
But the naming rule laid a linguistic minefield that has been a source of friction with food regulators around Europe ever since.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
“It’s a minefield for insurers,” said Jonathan Moss, head of the London office for law firm DWF.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
The space between Rowan and Citra had quickly become a minefield.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
