predicament

noun

pre·​dic·​a·​ment pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt 

 sense 1 is usually  ˈpre-di-kə-

1

: the character, status, or classification assigned by a predication

specifically : category sense 1

2

: condition, state

especially : a difficult, perplexing, or trying situation

Synonyms

• bind
• box
• catch-22
• corner
• dilemma
• fix
• hole
• impasse
• jackpot [chiefly West]
• jam
• mire
• pickle
• quagmire
• rabbit hole
• rattrap
• spot
• sticky wicket
• swamp

Examples of predicament in a Sentence

The captain of archers fidgeted and coughed and rolled his eyes at his men, as if such cupidity and dishonor were an inevitable but minor aspect of the human predicament … —Michael Chabon, New York Times Magazine, 6 May 2007

We saw photographs that week of buildings burning, stunned onlookers, dust-covered firemen. Very few pictures conveyed the fact that people just like us, our fellow passengers on the subway, suddenly found themselves in a mortal predicament and many died horribly. —Garrison Keillor, New York Times Book Review, 3 Sept. 2006

The President found himself in the backwash of earlier deals, and the demands of secrecy made his predicament the more vexing. —Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, 1988

The governor has gotten himself into quite a predicament.

I don't know how to get out of the predicament I'm in.

Recent Examples on the Web

The challenges facing Kuleba in his current campaign are emblematic of Ukraine’s predicament in this war going forward: The country’s survival still depends on its partners providing weapons, but few of those partners seem to grasp fully the urgency. —Isabelle Khurshudyan, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024

While children everywhere are taught to never play too close to traffic, a fuzzy little black bear cub received no such advice from its mama and found itself in quite the predicament on April 7. —Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin praedicamentum, from praedicare — see predicate entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

predicament

noun

pre·​dic·​a·​ment pri-ˈdik-ə-mənt 

: a difficult, puzzling, or trying situation : fix