like a minefield
- idiom
- Informal
- Discussing politics at family gatherings is like a minefield, as disagreements can explode unexpectedly.
Examples
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But it just seems like a minefield to navigate.
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But it just seems like a minefield to navigate.
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Negotiating a divorce can be like a minefield, with hidden emotional traps at every turn.
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Trying to get a promotion in that company feels like a minefield, with office politics lurking around every corner.
Synonyms
54
6.8
A place or situation with hidden bombs, like land left after a war
25
7.9
A difficult situation that is hard to escape or solve
17
6.5
A situation that causes many new problems when you start it
14
6.8
A new, not familiar situation that may have unknown risks
3
7.3
An unpleasant, chaotic place where people act badly toward each other
A situation full of strong feelings that are hard to handle
Antonyms
How Dangerous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally compares a situation to a 'minefield' (a place with hidden explosives), so a learner who knows 'like' and 'minefield' can infer it means a situation full of hidden dangers or difficulties. This simile follows a straightforward metaphorical mapping common across languages, making the meaning directly derivable from the constituents for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Like a minefield paints the picture of a field with hidden mines that can explode if you step on them. That's why we call a tricky situation 'like a minefield' when it is full of 'hidden dangers' or 'difficulties' where one small mistake can cause big trouble.