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.
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
She will say it has "become a minefield that exposes almost every significant public decision to legal challenge".
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 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
Before she can say anything else, I’m running straight across the minefield, dodging around people, charging through the cross fire.
From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day
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.
