# quagmire

/ˈkwæɡˌmaɪɝ/ (US) · /kwˈæɡmaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/quagmire
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. soft, wet ground

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

an area of soft, wet ground that you sink into if you try to walk on it.

For teachers: an area of soft, boggy land that yields underfoot; a marsh or bog.

- Heavy rains turned the valley into a muddy quagmire that vehicles could not cross.
- The hikers were forced to turn back when the trail dissolved into a treacherous quagmire of peat and standing water.

### 3. to involve in difficulty

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to trap someone or something in a very complicated or difficult situation.

For teachers: to entangle or embroil someone in a complex or difficult situation. Usually appears in the passive voice or as a past participle.

- The project was quagmired by constant arguments between the two managers.
- The negotiations became quagmired in technical details, preventing the parties from reaching a final agreement on the core issues.

Usage: Frequently used in the passive voice ('to be quagmired in').

## Examples

- The company found itself in a legal quagmire after the merger.
- The politician's scandal turned the election campaign into a quagmire of accusations and counter-accusations.
- What began as a simple diplomatic mission quickly descended into a quagmire of bureaucratic red tape and conflicting international interests.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.