quagmire
noun
quag·mire
ˈkwag-ˌmī(-ə)r 
ˈkwäg-
ˈkwäg-
plural quagmires
1
: soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot
2
: a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : predicament
Examples of quagmire in a Sentence
That was six months ago, when the Defense secretary laughingly dismissed the idea that Iraq was, or could turn into, a quagmire. But as Rumsfeld sat down last Friday morning to face Sen. John McCain, who spent six years in a Vietnamese prison, no one was laughing.
—
Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2003
State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.
—Robert Wright, Time, 11 Jan.1999
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
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Michael Hirsh et al., Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2003
State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.
—Robert Wright, Time, 11 Jan.1999
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
a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire
Recent Examples on the Web
The final thematic chapters on security sector reform, economic reorganization, and human rights constitute an excellent short primer for anyone contemplating venturing into this quagmire.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
From Felipe Torres Medina, a staff writer on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, comes this educational and eye-opening look at the quagmire of the immigration system.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Sending in the Marines could lead to a quagmire.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 2 Dec. 2025
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drawn it into a military quagmire, costing hundreds of thousands of lives.
—Holly Williams, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
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Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
From Felipe Torres Medina, a staff writer on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, comes this educational and eye-opening look at the quagmire of the immigration system.
—Brian Boone, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
Sending in the Marines could lead to a quagmire.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 2 Dec. 2025
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has drawn it into a military quagmire, costing hundreds of thousands of lives.
—Holly Williams, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
Cite this Entry
“Quagmire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quagmire. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quagmire
noun
quag·mire
ˈkwag-ˌmī(ə)r
ˈkwäg-
ˈkwäg-
1
: soft spongy wet ground that shakes or gives way under the foot
2
: a difficult situation from which it is hard to escape
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