1
as in problems
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 predicaments
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 dilemmas
The company applies a sociological attention to the gestures and dilemmas of people’s daily routines; once harvested, these insights are quickly incorporated into product designs.
—
Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Here's an outline of some of those moral and ethical dilemmas that appear to be keeping Altman awake at night.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Balancing Legal, Ethical, and Cultural Complexity in MMIs Not all ethical dilemmas have one dimension.
—Kristen Moon, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Living with Israel’s military assertiveness Israel, the unquestioned military power and sole nuclear weapons state in the region, has long posed particularly deep political dilemmas to Gulf Arab states.
—David Mednicoff, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
Wrestling over a decade with those rich character dilemmas got Vanderbilt an incredible roster of actors who here work at the height of their game.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Ethical considerations have always been inherent to the development of technology, and examining historical challenges can offer valuable insights for navigating similar dilemmas in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
—Kathleen Kramer, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Sep. 2025
Thus a lot of the narrative believability of the main characters’ dilemmas doesn’t always land.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Advice from friends was even less likely in social dilemmas, possibly due to reputational concerns.
—New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2025
Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Here's an outline of some of those moral and ethical dilemmas that appear to be keeping Altman awake at night.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
Balancing Legal, Ethical, and Cultural Complexity in MMIs Not all ethical dilemmas have one dimension.
—Kristen Moon, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Living with Israel’s military assertiveness Israel, the unquestioned military power and sole nuclear weapons state in the region, has long posed particularly deep political dilemmas to Gulf Arab states.
—David Mednicoff, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
Wrestling over a decade with those rich character dilemmas got Vanderbilt an incredible roster of actors who here work at the height of their game.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Ethical considerations have always been inherent to the development of technology, and examining historical challenges can offer valuable insights for navigating similar dilemmas in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
—Kathleen Kramer, IEEE Spectrum, 1 Sep. 2025
Thus a lot of the narrative believability of the main characters’ dilemmas doesn’t always land.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2025
Advice from friends was even less likely in social dilemmas, possibly due to reputational concerns.
—New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemmas
Noun
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Attached to Paxton is a long list of ethical and moral problems.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Ellison pledged to give away 95% of his wealth to advance scientific research and solve complex problems related to health and aging.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These extreme predicaments and the deaths of people trapped in flooding homes in the Lower Ninth Ward were powerful reminders of the vulnerability of many low-income, elderly and ill residents who were unable to get out ahead of the disaster.—
Eric Kevin Stern,
The Conversation,
25 Aug. 2025
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That being said, the news is filled with articles about schools in similar predicaments taking more draconian measures or even being forced to close.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Plenty of other challenges and ethical quandaries will arise in the meantime.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Stay tuned to read about myths, quandaries, benefits and what's next in the evolution of AI agents in the next part of my article.—
Karpagam Narayanan,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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How To Harvest Dill Seeds Dill seeds can be used to make pickles, spice blends, stews, and more.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
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The menu item features two patties topped with American cheese, pickles, ketchup and mustard.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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It's become well established as an excellent choice for elderly people with nutrition problems or swallowing difficulties.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Fathers spoke of feeling abandoned by the government and the difficulties of getting help.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilemmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemmas. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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