noun

mire

MEYE-uh

Mire (noun) means an area of deep, soft mud or wet, boggy ground. Example: “Their boots sank deep into the mire as they crossed the marsh.”

noun

An area of deep, soft mud or wet, boggy ground.

"Their boots sank deep into the mire as they crossed the marsh."

A difficult or messy situation.

"The company was dragged into a legal mire that lasted years."

verb

To become stuck, as if in mud.

"Talks were mired in disagreement for months."

How to use mire

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWet, sticky mud, or — figuratively — being stuck in a messy problem.

Common pairings

mired in mud mired in controversy mired in debt

Word forms

mired past tense, mires plural, mires plural, Mires plural, mires singular

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Their boots sank deep into the _____ as they crossed the marsh.

Etymology

From Old Norse mýrr ("bog, swamp"), related to Old English mos, the source of "moss."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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mud slack slop muck quagmire quag morass muck up entangle bog down get stuck grind to a halt

Related words

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Rhymes for mire

ire fire wire tire lire dire hire sire afire Zaire spire shire

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Frequently asked questions

What does “mire” mean?

The word “mire” means an area of deep, soft mud or wet, boggy ground. In plain terms, wet, sticky mud, or — figuratively — being stuck in a messy problem.

How do you pronounce “mire”?

“Mire” is pronounced MEYE-uh (/ˈmaɪɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “mire” in a sentence?

Here is “mire” used in a sentence: “Their boots sank deep into the mire as they crossed the marsh.”

What part of speech is “mire”?

Depending on how it is used, “mire” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “mire” come from?

The word “mire” comes from Old English. From Old Norse mýrr ("bog, swamp"), related to Old English mos, the source of "moss.".

How many meanings does “mire” have?

“Mire” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an area of deep, soft mud or wet, boggy ground.

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