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
And that’s the dilemma that Miami is facing at this Club World Cup.
—
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 15 June 2025
Now, Springsteen’s right-leaning fans are faced with a dilemma.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Today, law firms that have been subjected to the demands of the executive branch are now experiencing their dilemmas of conscience.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Lee’s version stars frequent collaborator Denzel Washington as a music mogul who becomes the target of a ransom demand that forces him into a moral dilemma, between life and death.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 15 June 2025
Now, Springsteen’s right-leaning fans are faced with a dilemma.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2025
Today, law firms that have been subjected to the demands of the executive branch are now experiencing their dilemmas of conscience.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Lee’s version stars frequent collaborator Denzel Washington as a music mogul who becomes the target of a ransom demand that forces him into a moral dilemma, between life and death.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemma
Noun
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Earlier in the week, American Airlines dealt with another dramatic problem with a connection to the Charlotte airport.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2025
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The Spanish also had a problem when two tropical storms happened on the same day, however.—
Tom Brown,
Space.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Christopher Boyle of New York County Defender Services and one of Bernier’s lawyers said anecdotally there are many others on Rikers Island in a similar predicament.—
Graham Rayman,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
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Rodriguez discussed Rose's predicament in an interview on New York City's WFAN radio last week, and made a startling claim about baseball's all-time hits leader.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Noun
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Any boy group that started as young Seventeen must contend with the quandary of how to age gracefully alongside its music and fans.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2025
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The premise fits like a glove with the music industry, and Washington is smooth as silk, delivering one of his best recent performances as a man caught in an impossible moral quandary.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Stir together mayonnaise, pickle juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
30 June 2025
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Served with baby potatoes, bread, and mixed pickles, a fondue is the perfect way to warm up after a day on the slopes or hiking through the valley.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilemma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemma. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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