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quagmire

American  
[kwag-mahyuhr, kwog-] / ˈkwægˌmaɪər, ˈkwɒg- /

noun

  1. an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog.

  2. a situation from which extrication is very difficult.

    a quagmire of financial indebtedness.

    Synonyms:
    jam, scrape, quandary, dilemma, predicament
  3. anything soft or flabby.


quagmire British  
/ ˈkwæɡˌmaɪə, ˈkwɒɡ- /

noun

  1. a soft wet area of land that gives way under the feet; bog

  2. an awkward, complex, or embarrassing situation

"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

Other Word Forms

  • quagmiry adjective

Etymology

Origin of quagmire

First recorded in 1570–80; quag + mire

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.

That leaves the Southwest in a quagmire with uncertain repercussions while the river’s depleted reservoirs continue to decline.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

With a paucity of working capital and bank lending rates now exceeding 60%, both foreign and domestic firms are stuck in a quagmire.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

Meanwhile, the war in Iraq came to seem closer to a quagmire than he had predicted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

By my count, the last time was 2003 and the U.S. was embroiled in a Middle East quagmire.

From Salon • Jun. 20, 2025

Anyway, probably no one is thinking about an appropriately weighty yet catchy phrase to call our quagmire right now.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed