conundrum

noun

kə-ˈnən-drəm How to pronounce conundrum (audio)
Definition of conundrumnext
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today's knowledge and technology

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conundrum Gosling portrays Ryland Grace, a middle-grade teacher and molecular biologist who reluctantly gets recruited for a desperate deep space mission to try and solve a cosmic conundrum that's causing our sun to slowly dim. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 7 July 2026 Then there’s the annual conundrum of FX comedy series The Bear. — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 6 July 2026 Many multi-level homes face the same comfort conundrum during the hot summer months. — Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 3 July 2026 Nanit Smart Baby Monitor System Sleep is such a common conundrum for new parents—is my baby sleeping enough? — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for conundrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conundrum
  1. mystery
  2. enigma
Noun
  • The flashbacks this week are also quite thrilling, even if there’s not much to say about them yet, given that what’s happening to the Keene siblings remains shrouded in mystery.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • Somewhere in Jeff’s eyes, somewhere in his incredible vulnerability and in his trust, that mystery is opening up.
    — Josh Fox, IndieWire, 17 July 2026
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • In the first knockout stage match in the venue, Haaland’s winner in the 86th minute over Ivory Coast offered a lens into Norway’s rich fan tradition, and the enigma that is Haaland himself.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • Physicists refer to this process as collapse, but scientists have not yet solved the fundamental enigma that drives this phenomenon.
    — Aldo Romero, The Conversation, 15 July 2026
Definition of enigma

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contusions
conundrum
conundrums
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Cite this Entry

“Conundrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conundrum. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of conundrum for Spanish Speakers

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