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mire 1 of 2

noun

ˈmī(-ə)r How to pronounce mire (audio)
Definition of mirenext
1
as in mud
soft wet earth played on a football field that was thick with mire

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2
as in marsh
spongy land saturated or partially covered with water much of the land in that area is mire that cannot be developed

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3
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape an abused wife who was hopelessly stuck in a mire of emotional dependency

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mire

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stain
to make dirty the sight of the standard, which had emerged from the battle mangled and mired, still stirred the soldiers' hearts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trap
to place in conflict or difficulties the case has been mired in probate court for years

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mire
Noun
The team found a major levoglucosan peak centered around 1128 CE, coinciding with a similar peak recorded from the Schwarzboden mire peat core, another important reservoir of atmospheric history sampled about 12 miles southeast of Weißseespitze. — Nidhi Sharma, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2026 You're then left with a low-profile tow-anywhere trailer that wants nothing more than to grab hold of your favorite bikes and splash through mud and mire, hell and high water, to get you to your favorite trails, jumps and whoops. — New Atlas, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
Sometimes it is mired in self-delusion, like Toni’s obsession with his Neapolitan origins, perhaps the single shred of glamor in his otherwise unenviable family background. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 To date, he’s been mired in his most trying season as a professional, with career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mire
  1. mud
  2. marsh
  3. predicament
  4. stain
  5. trap
  6. swamp
  7. pickle
  8. muck
Noun
  • These components introduce mechanical complexity and introduce inefficiencies, causing a loss of torque in mud, sand, or rubble.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Sep. 2026
  • The clip then pans to a warm fire, and someone, presumably Meghan, stomping in rain boots in the mud.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of mud
Noun
  • Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the historic route connected waterfront communities that were once separated by rivers, bays, and marshes, creating a new way for travelers to experience the region’s seafood, architecture, and maritime traditions.
    — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Black rat snakes occupy an expansive range of habitats, from swamps and marshes to forests and fields.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of marsh
Noun
  • Her mother hustled her to hospital, only for the doctors to realize Accurso’s active imagination had left her in the same predicament as Madeline’s friends.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
  • For their part, the Reiners attempted to work through their predicament not just via the therapeutic process but the creative one.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of predicament
Verb
  • The case has attracted widespread attention because the nature of Fortune’s death recalled lynchings in the Southern state, which has a tumultuous civil rights history stained by episodes of racial violence.
    — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • More rubbing produces mahogany, tan and brown hues, caused by staining from contact with vegetation.
    — Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • Coxon argued that corporate competition has trapped labs in a hubristic race that forces them to build dangerous systems first.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Markets seem trapped in a cycle of Iran tensions leading to higher oil prices, which leads to stocks moving lower and ultimately inflation concerns rising.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of trap
Noun
  • Staying safe from alligators in Florida Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries and are found in all of Florida's 67 counties.
    — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The $20 billion Dangote Refinery built on swamp land on the outskirts of Lagos becomes the fourth Dangote Industries subsidiary to go public in Nigeria.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of swamp
Noun
  • Without natto, miso soup, and pickles, my breakfast does not feel complete.
    — Michiko Tomioka, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In the book’s 16 central chapters, Roden wanders from central categories such as yogurt, egg dishes, breads and pickles, showing how the countries of this region prepare stunning variations of common foodstuffs.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of pickle
Verb
  • He's been mucking about with them for going on 60 years, and decided to enter the contest for the first time in 2025.
    — Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But a second straight dud season would really muck things up.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of muck

Browse Nearby Words

mirages
mire
mired
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Cite this Entry

“Mire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mire. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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