mired

American  

[mahy^uhrd] / maɪərd /

adjective

1. trapped in mud, muck, or slime.

   The concern now was how to free their mired fire engine and water tanker.

2. entangled or stuck.

   Bond yields have been climbing, but they still remain mired at historically low levels.

3. soiled with mud, muck, or slime.

   He looked down at his mired kaftan, speckled with dirt, and tried to brush it clean.

4. involved or entrapped in trouble or difficulty.

   Only some of our colleagues have offended, it is true; but all of us are mired.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of mire.

Other Word Forms

• unmired adjective

Etymology

Origin of mired

mire ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

When you're mired in something, you're stuck or entangled in it. You can't get out. Sometimes, being mired means to be literally trapped in the mire, which is like a swamp or muck. But usually when people are mired, it's in something less icky but equally hard to get out of. You could be mired in six hours of homework. Congress could be mired in discussions that are going nowhere. A bad relationship could be mired in arguments. When you're mired, it feels like you're sinking in quicksand.

Example Sentences

Ever since, the lawsuit has been mired in a dispute over whether Colorado courts were the correct venue, with the state Supreme Court ultimately ruling last May that they were.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026

However, the sector has been mired in a recession since the late 2010s, as the country’s exports faltered.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Shares have been mired in a long slump, falling for seven consecutive weeks and down 19% since the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings in late January.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Several of the candidates mired near the bottom of polls — Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Betty Yee — are probably looking at the end of the line if they lose this race.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

I was in the air for another second before sharp leaves raked my face as I hit the upper fronds of a bushy branch, sinking in until I stopped, panting, mired in brambles.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer