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
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Recent Examples of conundrum
The seven episodes leading up to The Audacity's season finale have been crammed with enough questions, conflicts, and conundrums to fill Hypergnosis' infinite database.
—
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The front of their single-story bungalow, though, remained a barren conundrum.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
Vacationing presents one big conundrum.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
Just yesterday, the USGA rolled out a pilot phase for Rules AI, aiming to spare golfers from the endless squabbles over sprinkler-head relief and the other rulebook conundrums that inevitably arise during a round.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for conundrum
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
The front of their single-story bungalow, though, remained a barren conundrum.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
Vacationing presents one big conundrum.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
Just yesterday, the USGA rolled out a pilot phase for Rules AI, aiming to spare golfers from the endless squabbles over sprinkler-head relief and the other rulebook conundrums that inevitably arise during a round.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for conundrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conundrum
Noun
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While the exact methods remain a mystery, Clarke and colleagues believe the Altar Stone was almost certainly moved in stages, possibly through a combination of overland and river travel routes.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
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But the possibility of an epochal discovery that radically changes our understanding of the universe’s history and solves one of the greatest mysteries in modern astrophysics is too alluring to ignore.—
Jonathan O'Callaghan,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Even at the height of his fame, there were dubious aspects of his personal life — often self-seeded to sustain his enigma — that poked hellified holes in his impermeability as an entertainer.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
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Despite the city and Heal the Bay forming a Santa Monica Pier Task Force, adding netting to deter birds, and taking other measures to improve the water quality, the root of the problem remains an enigma.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conundrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conundrum. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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