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
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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
Every interaction and plot twist in Jury Duty is carefully orchestrated to steer its unwitting star through a series of low-stakes moral dilemmas while hidden cameras capture his reactions.
—
Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Faced with a real dilemma, the company decided to move the goalpost.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
The dilemma, in the hands of these novelists, is not only an abstraction but a central element of the plot and structure of their books.
—Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The report eases one of the Fed’s trickiest dilemmas from the past year, when weak job growth put pressure on officials to cut rates even as inflation refused to come down.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Faced with a real dilemma, the company decided to move the goalpost.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
The dilemma, in the hands of these novelists, is not only an abstraction but a central element of the plot and structure of their books.
—Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The report eases one of the Fed’s trickiest dilemmas from the past year, when weak job growth put pressure on officials to cut rates even as inflation refused to come down.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemma
Noun
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This was the problem with conjuring my mother.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
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Rising to the #1 spot signals strong business fundamentals, consumer trust and a product that genuinely solves a modern pet owner’s problem.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
They were considered a distant contender as the eighth championship favorite — before the injuries snowballed and created this predicament.—
Douglas Kezirian,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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The term worst-case scenario doesn’t begin to accurately describe your character’s predicament in Thrash.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Apple is in this quandary in part because, compared to its tech peers, the company has been slow to AI.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
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Pattinson and Zendaya are great in it, but the twist and the moral quandary that comes with it are going to take precedence.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And at least one pickle pope blessing people with herbs.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Chicken wings brined in salt and pickle juice, as well as salads, will also appear on the menu.—
Jenna Thompson
April 10,
Kansas City Star,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilemma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemma. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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