Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

minefield

noun mine·field \ ˈmīn-ˌfēld \
Updated on: 10 Apr 2018
See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

Definition of minefield

1 : an area (as of water or land) set with mines
2 : something resembling a minefield especially in having many dangers or requiring extreme caution
  • a political minefield

See minefield defined for English-language learners

Examples of minefield in a Sentence

  1. This issue is a political minefield.

Recent Examples of minefield from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'minefield.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of minefield

1884

MINEFIELD Defined for English Language Learners

minefield

noun

Definition of minefield for English Language Learners

  • : an area of land or water that contains mines (sense 2)

  • : something that has many dangers or risks

Learn More about minefield

  1. See words that rhyme with minefield Spanish Central: Translation of minefield Nglish: Translation of minefield for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up minefield? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

headlong

play

without deliberation, pause, or delay

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  2. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  3. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  4. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

  5. oligarch 'government in which a small group exercises control'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

minefield

Test Your Vocabulary

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

  • image1926873504
  • Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-5ad8fc71357ed
Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

alt-5ad8d3361fb97
Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

You're on the edge of your seat

alt-5ad77fad37d22
What the #@*% Is a ‘Grawlix'?

We can thank Beetle Bailey.

alt-5ad76a1542e73
'Altho' vs. 'Although'

Altho doesn't get much love.

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game
Examples: minefield in a Sentence