1
as in predicament
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quagmire
This nation state, my home, is built on a quagmire of lies sold to the young as truths; sold to the insecure as truths; sold by the avaricious, the power-hungry, the conceited, the overwhelmingly white and male.
—
Christine Winter, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Carleton argues that Russell and Tolstoy’s focus on the plight of the individual soldier amid the horror and senselessness of war shaped the public perception of later quagmires, such as World War I and the Vietnam War.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development dropped a bomb on the already difficult-to-navigate quagmire, further complicated by the ongoing legal saga over the freeze.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Any zealots seeking patriotic appeal would need to grapple with her default arc: a walking moral quagmire.
—Darren Franich, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
Christine Winter, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Carleton argues that Russell and Tolstoy’s focus on the plight of the individual soldier amid the horror and senselessness of war shaped the public perception of later quagmires, such as World War I and the Vietnam War.
—Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development dropped a bomb on the already difficult-to-navigate quagmire, further complicated by the ongoing legal saga over the freeze.
—Avery Lotz, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Any zealots seeking patriotic appeal would need to grapple with her default arc: a walking moral quagmire.
—Darren Franich, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quagmire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quagmire
Noun
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California and other states have spent much of the past decade trying to get out of this predicament by undoing single-family zoning laws and streamlining permitting for apartments, backyard cottages and other higher-density housing.—
Conor Dougherty,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
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Why Canned Wine? Archer Roose Wines, co-owned by chief creative officer and actress Elizabeth Banks and CEO Marian Leitner-Waldman, started with this predicament in mind.—
Bryce Jones,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The possible legal tangle between Minnesota and the Trump administration mirrors a similar situation between the administration and Maine, whose leaders have also refused to follow Trump’s anti-trans sports order.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
23 Apr. 2025
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Bateman and his team had been studying tau tangles, the abnormal clumps of protein that form inside the neurons of people with Alzheimer's.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The deep-sea mining dilemma Deep-sea mining isn’t a new idea.—
Christian Elliott,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Apr. 2025
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George Cunningham, senior vice president of public safety with Goldenvoice, explained the dilemma — and the steps being taken to address it — while speaking to the La Quinta City Council Tuesday.—
Tom Coulter,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But the Knicks can’t fall for the trap, and Brunson, who finished with 34 points on 12-of-27 shooting from the field to go with eight assists on the night, had a frustrating start to his evening.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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Europe is wary of sleepwalking back into the trap of reliance on Russian energy resources that caused an energy crisis at the outset of the 2022 invasion and mounting speculation that Europe might reopen its taps has sparked pushback from key European voices.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The deal on the burgers – each comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, Smash Sauce, and ketchup on a toasted bun – is good in stores, online and through the Smashburger app.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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According to our readers, classics like the Chicken Sandwich Meal (extra pickles, please) and seasonal treats like the Peach Milkshake are always worth stopping for.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While the city is at a crossroads, the job of mayor is shrinking, and with it the likelihood that bold and competent future leadership can lift Chicago from a historic morass.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The legal morass created by this scheme doesn't end there.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There are jungle, swamp, desert, and island ecosystems all featured on the show, all populated by geographically accurate animal species.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
22 Apr. 2025
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In honor of the anniversary of 'Shrek,' see which character you are based on your zodiac sign, according to celebrity astrologer Valerie Mesa PEOPLE exclusive readings Comments Once upon a celestial swamp.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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However, these systems become organizational quicksand in volatile environments where exceptions become the rule.—
Nate Bennett,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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From sticky asphalt graves to dinosaur-eating quicksand, these sites reveal how nature sometimes sets its own snares, and how life—on a mass scale—meets its end.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quagmire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quagmire. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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