predicament
noun
pre·dic·a·ment
pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt 
sense 1 is usually ˈpre-di-kə-
1
: the character, status, or classification assigned by a predication
specifically
: category sense 1
Examples of predicament in a Sentence
The captain of archers fidgeted and coughed and rolled his eyes at his men, as if such cupidity and dishonor were an inevitable but minor aspect of the human predicament …
—
Michael Chabon, New York Times Magazine, 6 May 2007
We saw photographs that week of buildings burning, stunned onlookers, dust-covered firemen. Very few pictures conveyed the fact that people just like us, our fellow passengers on the subway, suddenly found themselves in a mortal predicament and many died horribly.
—Garrison Keillor, New York Times Book Review, 3 Sept. 2006
The President found himself in the backwash of earlier deals, and the demands of secrecy made his predicament the more vexing.
—Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, 1988
The governor has gotten himself into quite a predicament.
I don't know how to get out of the predicament I'm in.
Michael Chabon, New York Times Magazine, 6 May 2007
We saw photographs that week of buildings burning, stunned onlookers, dust-covered firemen. Very few pictures conveyed the fact that people just like us, our fellow passengers on the subway, suddenly found themselves in a mortal predicament and many died horribly.
—Garrison Keillor, New York Times Book Review, 3 Sept. 2006
The President found himself in the backwash of earlier deals, and the demands of secrecy made his predicament the more vexing.
—Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, 1988
The governor has gotten himself into quite a predicament.
I don't know how to get out of the predicament I'm in.
Recent Examples on the Web
Chantelle and Kelly, two flight attendants on vacation in the U.K., spoke to Newsweek about their unique predicament.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
In the Heat’s case, the franchise’s unfortunate predicament stems mostly from personnel decisions involving veteran players, decisions largely made by team president Pat Riley with input from several others.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
The humanitarian crisis sparked by the more than 51,000 migrants who made their way to Chicago since 2022 — when GOP Gov. Greg Abbott sent his first busload of asylum-seekers from Texas — was one of the mayor’s most onerous predicaments upon entering office.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
Smith turns in an incredibly twisted, emotionally wrenching performance, and watching Riley’s terrifying predicament up close instills a further sense of emotional mystery about what may lie at the end of Ava’s journey.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predicament
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.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
In the Heat’s case, the franchise’s unfortunate predicament stems mostly from personnel decisions involving veteran players, decisions largely made by team president Pat Riley with input from several others.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
The humanitarian crisis sparked by the more than 51,000 migrants who made their way to Chicago since 2022 — when GOP Gov. Greg Abbott sent his first busload of asylum-seekers from Texas — was one of the mayor’s most onerous predicaments upon entering office.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
Smith turns in an incredibly twisted, emotionally wrenching performance, and watching Riley’s terrifying predicament up close instills a further sense of emotional mystery about what may lie at the end of Ava’s journey.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predicament
Cite this Entry
“Predicament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predicament. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predicament
noun
pre·dic·a·ment
pri-ˈdik-ə-mənt
: a difficult, puzzling, or trying situation : fix
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share