Definition

A difficult or tricky situation that is hard to escape from, often involving confusion or problems.

Example

After losing his job, he found himself in a financial quagmire.

Conversation

I heard you got stuck in a real quagmire at work this week.

Yeah, it was a mess trying to fix all those issues at once.

That sounds stressful! How did you manage to get out of that quagmire?

I just focused on one problem at a time and asked for help when I needed it.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Quagmire originates from the Middle English 'quakmire', where 'quak' (meaning to shake or tremble) is derived from the Old English 'cwacian' (to shake) and 'mire' (meaning a swamp or bog, from Old English 'mire'). The word describes a soft, wet area that can cause one to sink or tremble when walking on it.

Memory Tip

Think of a place that 'shakes' ('quak') when you step on it, like a 'swamp' ('mire') — that's why a quagmire is a tricky, muddy situation.

Visually Confused Words