minefield

[ mahyn-feeld ]

/ ˈmaɪnˌfild /

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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.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of minefield

First recorded in 1885–90; mine² + field

Words nearby minefield

minecraft, mine detector, mine dump, mine examiner, Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, minefield, minehunter, minelayer, Mineola, miner, mineral

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use minefield in a sentence

Although some states have passed more stringent regulations protecting the privacy of individuals’ biometrics, having state-by-state regulations can be a minefield for teams and athletes.
As biometrics boom, who owns athletes’ data? It depends on the sport.|Nick Busca|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
Those pressures have led to a minefield of terms and conditions that vary by carrier.
Stiffed by an airline for a flight you couldn’t take? This U.K. watchdog is on the case|kdunn6|December 16, 2020|Fortune
Setting the right carbon price is a minefield of assumptions.
How one obscure federal agency is clearing the path for a US carbon price|Tim McDonnell|October 21, 2020|Quartz
Indeed, this topic will likely become an ethical minefield in the coming years.
Stream or Skip? A Synthetic Biologist’s Review of ‘Biohackers’ on Netflix|Elsa Sotiriadis|September 2, 2020|Singularity Hub

For a company like Zoom, education is a particularly tricky minefield to navigate.
'We Learned a Lesson.' Zoom's CEO Wants You to Trust the Company Again|Patrick Lucas Austin|April 8, 2020|Time
Of course, the issue of authenticity in hip-hop is already a complicated minefield for up and coming artists.
The Cultural Crimes of Iggy Azalea|Amy Zimmerman|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For officials like Brohi, pursuing the drug traffickers in Turbat would mean crossing a political minefield.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I looked around and I saw everyone looking at me; I was in the minefield next to a mine.
My Non-First World Problems: Letters from Iraq|Andrew Slater|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Swimsuit season is now as much of a nightmare minefield for men as it is for women.
Prince Fielder’s Demi Moore Moment: World Loses It Over Athlete Without Six-Pack|Tim Teeman|July 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It also takes place near a minefield of rocks, is a hangout spot for sharks, and breaks on a reef.
Now That Everest Is Closed, Check Out These Other Extreme Adventures|Nina Strochlic|May 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
E 21 dived to 130 feet to pass under the minefield which guards the "narrows," and went through by compass and dead reckoning.
The Story of Our Submarines|John Graham Bower
He enlarged the minefield north of Heligoland, and gathered there a large force of submarines.
The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 4 (of 10)|James Edward Parrott
Under such conditions the position of the minefield would be known to the enemy.
The Crisis of the Naval War|John Rushworth Jellicoe
In the case of a convoy encountering a minefield, as in the case of a fleet, several ships may be sunk practically simultaneously.
The Crisis of the Naval War|John Rushworth Jellicoe
If ships are sailing singly a minefield will in all probability sink only one vessel—the first ship entering it.
The Crisis of the Naval War|John Rushworth Jellicoe

British Dictionary definitions for minefield

minefield

/ (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