quagmire
noun
quag·mire
ˈkwag-ˌmī(-ə)r 
ˈkwäg-
ˈkwäg-
plural quagmires
1
: soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot
2
: a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : predicament
Examples of quagmire in a Sentence
That was six months ago, when the Defense secretary laughingly dismissed the idea that Iraq was, or could turn into, a quagmire. But as Rumsfeld sat down last Friday morning to face Sen. John McCain, who spent six years in a Vietnamese prison, no one was laughing.
—
Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2003
State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.
—Robert Wright, Time, 11 Jan.1999
the party was once again facing its quadrennial quagmire: the candidate sufficiently liberal to win the nomination would be too liberal for the general election
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2003
State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.
—Robert Wright, Time, 11 Jan.1999
the party was once again facing its quadrennial quagmire: the candidate sufficiently liberal to win the nomination would be too liberal for the general election
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Recent Examples on the Web
How was a young vet like Josh Jung to pull himself out of an offensive quagmire if everybody else was too focused on their own slumps and routines?
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
With legislative Democrats compiling their spending wish list for the next budget, which takes effect July 1, questions remain about how to solve Illinois’ pension quagmire, where growing unfunded pension liabilities now total about $144 billion.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
You’re allowed to want more, of course, but be wary of getting stuck in the quagmire of self-pity.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Reporter Brandon Lingle explored the regulatory quagmire at the site in one of this week's top stories.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
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Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 15 Feb. 2026
With legislative Democrats compiling their spending wish list for the next budget, which takes effect July 1, questions remain about how to solve Illinois’ pension quagmire, where growing unfunded pension liabilities now total about $144 billion.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
You’re allowed to want more, of course, but be wary of getting stuck in the quagmire of self-pity.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
Reporter Brandon Lingle explored the regulatory quagmire at the site in one of this week's top stories.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
Cite this Entry
“Quagmire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quagmire. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quagmire
noun
quag·mire
ˈkwag-ˌmī(ə)r
ˈkwäg-
ˈkwäg-
1
: soft spongy wet ground that shakes or gives way under the foot
2
: a difficult situation from which it is hard to escape
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