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
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
-
Still, even after the election, Magyar has remained relentlessly on message—which is to say, vague and tight-lipped, leaving several inconvenient dilemmas unaddressed.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Researchers then provided examples of thoughtful responses to ethical dilemmas, which the model learned from via supervised learning.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Scratched carpets are buried under tangles of wires and computing gear.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
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This can happen due to your natural hair texture, dryness, or environmental stressors like wind, friction from your pillowcase, or pollution—your cuticles can catch on each other like Velcro, Small says, causing tangles.—
Sarah Felbin,
Allure,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Usually, the solution to getting rid of these pests is using synthetic chemicals or traps, but there's actually a completely natural way to deter mice from invading your property and landscape.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
-
Use insecticides, traps, or essential oils to manage carpenter bees, or call a professional for severe cases.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s also the Chicken Sammy for $13, topped with Swiss and mozzarella cheeses as well as Buffalo-style mayo, pickles, housemade pesto and lemon caper aioli.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
11 May 2026
-
Breakfast also featured a fish main (a thick cut of salmon with miso sauce), pickles, rice, and miso soup.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Marine scientists say entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes remain two of the biggest threats facing the whales, which migrate annually from breeding areas off Florida and Georgia to feeding waters near New England and Canada.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
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In recent years, the season has been delayed from its traditional mid-November start to as late as January in an effort to reduce whale entanglements, cutting into what fishermen say is their most profitable time of year.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Noun
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They're also known as craydids, crawdads, and rock lobsters, and they're found in swamps, rivers, and lakes.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
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Workers of the 1920s waded into swamps, armed with axes and handsaws.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That alone changes the math — his cardio dropoff against Strickland was directly tied to the weight cut, and removing that variable fixes one of the only real holes in his game.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Bullet holes could be seen in the back door of one of the homes.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quagmires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quagmires. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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