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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in tangles
something that catches and holds
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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But neither option, Kuntz explained, seems likely to resolve Hollywood’s dilemmas.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
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Lead executives Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer will be dealing with far more pressing dilemmas on draft night and in the days that follow, but they’re also tasked with using the low-value pick to locate someone who can help Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets win immediately.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Scratched carpets are buried under tangles of wires and computing gear.—
Kim Tong-Hyung,
Fortune,
12 May 2026
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Scratched carpets are buried under tangles of wires and computing gear.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Victorian novels made good use of the predicaments of second and third sons, who had to become ministers or soldiers or schemers, and daughters who needed to be married off according to age.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Iran laid traps and moved more military personnel and air defenses to Kharg, sources previously told CNN.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
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Health inspectors found rodent droppings under the soda fountain and unclean traps.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 June 2026
Noun
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There are more brands now selling artisanal pickles in distinctive flavors like honey harissa (or gimmicky ones that beg for virality, like purple grape), and many of them are sold at national grocery chains.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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The fermentation in the miso and pickles is good for a healthy gut.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Gonzales has made no secret of her criticism of Hickenlooper’s current financial entanglements.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
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Mercury — now in Cancer and your eighth house of joint ventures and psychological motivations — will clash with Saturn, which could trigger serious conversations around dating, children or even financial entanglements.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Its disaster response fleet includes boats, barges and helicopters that can transport team members and equipment through hard-to-reach areas including swamps and mountains after a disaster, according to Shannon Browning, the associate director of AT&T's Network Disaster Recovery team.—
Ayana Archie,
NPR,
4 June 2026
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Leak material and trailer reads point to a much wider menu, including gym workouts, boxing and MMA, fishing, hunting, pool, mini-golf, races and packed clubs, layered over a denser ecosystem of swamps, beaches and wildlife.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
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These familiar, turbulent morasses of swirling droplets continue to stymie scientists.—
Joseph Howlett,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quagmires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quagmires. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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