mire

[ mahyuhr ]

noun

1. a tract or area of wet, swampy ground; bog; marsh.
2. ground of this kind, as wet, slimy soil of some depth or deep mud.

verb (used with object)

, mired, mir·ing.

1. to plunge and fix in mire; cause to stick fast in mire.
2. to involve; entangle.
3. to soil with mire; bespatter with mire.

verb (used without object)

, mired, mir·ing.

1. to sink and stick in mire or mud.

mire

/ maɪə /

noun

1. a boggy or marshy area
2. mud, muck, or dirt

verb

1. to sink or cause to sink in a mire
2. tr to make dirty or muddy
3. tr to involve, esp in difficulties

Derived Forms

• ˈmiriness, noun
• ˈmiry, adjective

Other Words From

• mired adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mire¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse mȳrr “bog”; cognate with Old English mēos moss

Word History and Origins

Origin of mire¹

C14: from Old Norse mӯrr; related to moss

Example Sentences

Still, the probe mired the first half of Trump’s presidency in scandal.

From Los Angeles Times

But he was instead mired in scandal, including mounting debts and lawsuits and backlash from two children born out of wedlock.

From Los Angeles Times

Polls have consistently shown Americans are mired in a sour, griping mood when it comes to the economy, which may prove to be a significant factor in the election.

From Los Angeles Times

The allegation comes as Albanese struggles with low approval ratings and as Australians are mired in a housing crisis.

From BBC

After Wells Fargo was mired in a 2013 scandal over employees who opened millions of fake banking accounts, the bank created a new centralized unit to review customer complaints and employees’ allegations of workplace abuses.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bog down
• embroil
• enmesh
• ensnare
• entangle
• flounder
• implicate
• involve
• stick
• tangle
• trap