quagmires

noun

plural of quagmire
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quagmires But this is the wrong time for political sideshows or ethical quagmires. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quagmires
  1. dilemmas
  2. tangles
  3. predicaments
  4. traps
  5. pickles
  6. entanglements
  7. swamps
  8. morasses
Noun
  • UAVs can extend reach, generate mass, create dilemmas, and impose costs.
    — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Instead of adding more junk to your drawers, these clever gadgets actually solve kitchen dilemmas we’re all faced with.
    — Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of dilemmas
Noun
  • This Levoit vacuum just dropped under $200, and its impressive ability to pick up hair without any tangles is a pet owner’s dream.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 23 June 2026
Definition of tangles
Noun
  • Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
  • The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of predicaments
Noun
  • The heat wave is making a bad air-quality situation worse as a high-pressure system traps soot and fine particles close to the ground instead of dispersing them.
    — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • How Often To Clean A Jute Rug The textured weave of a jute rug traps sand, dirt, and dust.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
Definition of traps
Noun
  • Here, instead of the mustard that’s included in many classic potato salad recipes, sour cream, vinegar, and briny pickles team up to lend a lovely amount of tartness to cut through the richness of the potatoes, eggs, and mayo.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • The tartness of capers, lemon juice, and pickles balances the rich flavors.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Definition of pickles
Noun
  • Common threats include biotoxins, chemical contaminants, disease, and fishing gear entanglements, experts say.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • Speaking in Portugal this week, Warsh seemed keen to move the Fed through judicial entanglements and get on with the task at hand.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026
Definition of entanglements
Noun
  • Florida alligator safety Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries and are found in all of Florida's 67 counties.
    — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
Definition of swamps
Noun
  • These familiar, turbulent morasses of swirling droplets continue to stymie scientists.
    — Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of morasses

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Cite this Entry

“Quagmires.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quagmires. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of quagmires for Spanish Speakers

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