How to pronounce quagmire
Say it like KWAG-mire. Quagmire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KWAG).
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Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce quagmire. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈkwæɡmaɪr/KWAG-mire
UK British/ˈkwæɡˌmaɪə/KWAG-my-uh
- KWAG
- mire
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Quagmire pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KWAGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- mireKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of quagmire
- American English uses 2 syllables and British English 3.
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: KWAG-my-uh.
What does quagmire mean?
noun
- A swampy, soggy area of ground.“That quagmire regularly ‘swallows’ caught-up hikers’ boots”
- A perilous, mixed up and troubled situation; a hopeless tangle.“The paperwork got lost in a quagmire of bureaucracy.”
- To embroil (a person, etc.) in complexity or difficulty.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying quagmire
How do you pronounce quagmire?
Say KWAG-mire. The American pronunciation is /ˈkwæɡmaɪr/. In British English it is /ˈkwæɡˌmaɪə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in quagmire?
Quagmire has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KWAG). Broken into parts: KWAG · mire.
Is quagmire pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 2 syllables and British English 3. The British form is /ˈkwæɡˌmaɪə/ (KWAG-my-uh).