1
as in problem
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
faced with a dilemma of whether to risk continuing to drive in the dangerous storm or to give up searching for the lost dog and hope he survived
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in predicament
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
with home prices in a free fall, sellers were in a terrible dilemma
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dilemma
About This Episode A reader has a weed dilemma.
—
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
So how does a parent approach this dilemma in a thoughtful, supportive way?
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025
That is the dilemma facing O'Connell and the coaching staff.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
In the interstices of all that, at a bar one sweaty night, Wyeth meets Keating, a seminarian on a hiatus of sorts whose spiritual dilemma becomes imbricated in his own.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
So how does a parent approach this dilemma in a thoughtful, supportive way?
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 7 Oct. 2025
That is the dilemma facing O'Connell and the coaching staff.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
In the interstices of all that, at a bar one sweaty night, Wyeth meets Keating, a seminarian on a hiatus of sorts whose spiritual dilemma becomes imbricated in his own.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemma
Noun
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On Monday, of course, the problem wasn’t Durbin getting caught stealing.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cascale’s Joël Mertens further outlined the problem.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shaw spent the next two decades in prison, determined to make something positive out of her predicament.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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Netanyahu systematically ignored this imperative and thus dragged Israel into its current predicament.—
Ehud Barak,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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How much to rely on that bot – and when to let go – is a moral quandary for the surgeon.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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The simple answer to Minnesota’s quandary was suited up for the Steelers on Sunday.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Avoid an acid overload of tart and tangy (pickles and citrus), a bold flavor competition, sweet and funky flavors colliding (fruity jams and aged cheeses), and a clash of spicy meats and cheeses with delicate fruits and accompaniments.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
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Eggs, pickles, pimientos, and plenty of Yukon golds are the heroes of this praise-worthy potato salad.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilemma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemma. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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