1
as in marshes
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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2
as in dilemmas
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in stains
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mires
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
Pretty bad is the stuff that mires a team in mediocrity.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mires
Noun
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Cord grass ripples across these languorous northern marshes and, while ships lay wounded and stranded in the former Aral, all that remains of the old Parkgate are some very old photographs, showing frigates, sand, and some very fetching Victorian bathing attire.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But during this year’s drought, much of that water is evaporating before reaching the marshes, Davis said.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Mar. 2026
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During a week-long recuperation, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This continental collision gave rise to the Zagros Mountains, which push down on the Arabian plate in a way that has created a basin in Earth’s crust that traps hydrocarbons—hence, all that oil and gas.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
12 Mar. 2026
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His handle is both his redeeming trait and what traps him in the half court.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Once the tadpoles are ready, they're released back into the mountain wetlands to help rebuild the population.—
Alex Lehnert,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Vernal pools are small and temporary wetlands that fill with water in winter and spring and dry out by summer, Ravesi said.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Winning from behind is not sustainable, and the predicaments in which Chelsea have found themselves this week point to other problems.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Rustin has slyly given her script a focus on women’s needs and feelings, a welcome departure for a genre that usually is more concerned about the men’s predicaments.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Wire pin or slicker brushes work best for dogs with long hair that tangles easily.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mires. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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