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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.

She was also aware that the highly competitive daytime talk show arena had been a notorious minefield for several top stars, leading to quick failure.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 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

So all of this was an ideological minefield.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Between it and Taylor Swift’s onslaught, the second half of 2025 was a minefield for the pop music intolerant.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025

After she returned, Rowan knew there would be no peace between them, or within himself, unless he took the first step into that 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