mired

American  

[mahy^uhrd] / maɪərd /

adjective

1. trapped in mud, muck, or slime.

   The concern now was how to free their mired fire engine and water tanker.

2. entangled or stuck.

   Bond yields have been climbing, but they still remain mired at historically low levels.

3. soiled with mud, muck, or slime.

   He looked down at his mired kaftan, speckled with dirt, and tried to brush it clean.

4. involved or entrapped in trouble or difficulty.

   Only some of our colleagues have offended, it is true; but all of us are mired.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of mire.

Other Word Forms

• unmired
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of mired

mire ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When you're mired in something, you're stuck or entangled in it. You can't get out. Sometimes, being mired means to be literally trapped in the mire, which is like a swamp or muck. But usually when people are mired, it's in something less icky but equally hard to get out of. You could be mired in six hours of homework. Congress could be mired in discussions that are going nowhere. A bad relationship could be mired in arguments. When you're mired, it feels like you're sinking in quicksand.

Example Sentences

They are battling surging energy costs, fierce competition from China, and weak demand at a time when Europe's biggest economy is mired in a long stagnation.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Scams targeting those mired in the U.S. immigration system are not new, but advocates say predators have become more sophisticated, using technologies like artificial intelligence and targeted ads.

From Salon • May 2, 2026

Congress is at a standstill trying to pass key legislation, the military is mired in a conflict in the Middle East, and the president just faced his third assassination attempt in two years.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

A decade earlier, in 2012, the parks department was mired in scandal when officials threatened to close 70 state parks due to a lack of funds until a hidden $54-million stockpile was uncovered.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

So how had she gotten mired in the same pit of domesticity as her parents?

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon