1
as in dilemmas
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
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
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2
as in tangles
something that catches and holds
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quagmires
Jeane used the example not to say that any of the three were in danger of closing, but to point out one of the enrollment quagmires in the district that covers 70 square miles.
—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Despite a few diversions along the way, Minney keeps returning to craft as a solution to fashion’s many quagmires.
—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2026
But these occupations soon became bloody quagmires, with hundreds of military and tens of thousands of civilian casualties.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
But this is the wrong time for political sideshows or ethical quagmires.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Aug. 2025
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Despite a few diversions along the way, Minney keeps returning to craft as a solution to fashion’s many quagmires.
—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
14 Apr. 2026
But these occupations soon became bloody quagmires, with hundreds of military and tens of thousands of civilian casualties.
—
Mo Rocca,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
But this is the wrong time for political sideshows or ethical quagmires.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quagmires
Noun
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At the time, the metaphor seemed to work because of the particular dilemmas posed by Brexit.
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Readers learn not simply from facts but from context, uncertainty, leadership dilemmas and competing priorities.
Noun
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This Levoit vacuum just dropped under $200, and its impressive ability to pick up hair without any tangles is a pet owner’s dream.
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Tuohy found that only our top overall robovac pick, the Matic, did a better job on hard surfaces, while the Saros 20’s DuoDivide brush is designed to resist hair tangles, reducing the amount of maintenance required.
Noun
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Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.
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The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.
Noun
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Golden State sent more traps than usual and didn’t allow the former Notre Dame standout to get clean looks at the rim or from the 3-point line.
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That changed rapidly as Argentina flew out of the traps and picked apart their jaded opponents, going 2-0 up after 36 minutes, with the first goal a Messi penalty.
Noun
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Those with the most pickles by weight will face off for the title of Baron of Bobbing.
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Layer the onions, 2 to 3 bacon pieces, and 2 to 3 pickles over the patty.
Noun
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While whaling is no longer a threat to the species, their existence is still threatened by ship strikes, entanglements in fishing gear, underwater noise and the effects of climate change, according to the NOAA.
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After all, Cancer season puts shared resources, debts, intimate affairs and emotional entanglements under the spotlight.
Noun
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For millions of years between 350 and 280 million years ago (about 30 million years before the first dinosaurs), these croc-like animals ruled the rivers, swamps, and lakes of the ancient world.
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These many watering holes are reflective of the Lone Star state's varied geographic regions, from bald cypress swamps to mountainous desert lakes.
Noun
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These familiar, turbulent morasses of swirling droplets continue to stymie scientists.
Cite this Entry
“Quagmires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quagmires. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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