quandary

noun

quan·​da·​ry ˈkwän-d(ə-)rē How to pronounce quandary (audio)
plural quandaries
: a state of perplexity or doubt

Examples of quandary in a Sentence

Williams's quandary is not unlike that faced by other urban executives who have had to wrestle with a deeply rooted power structure. The problem is especially acute for African American mayors. They are expected to serve as sentries, protecting their cities' black communities and staving off so-called white encroachment. Jonetta Rose Barras, Washington Post, 15 June 2003
For a sticky philosophical quandary, the questions are pretty simple: am I a clerk charged with selling college degrees or am I involved in a more meaningful experience? Part of me says that no argument is more worthy of my attention. Lynne Drury Lerych, Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2001
… the inevitable economic quandary that faces a people in the transition from slavery to freedom, and especially those who make that change amid hate and prejudice, lawlessness and ruthless competition. W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903
The unexpected results of the test have created a quandary for researchers. I'm in a quandary about whether I should try to repair my stereo or buy a new one, even though I don't have the money to do either.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The long-time law enforcement officer has also emphasized his desire to see San Jose become the nation’s safest large city again, bemoaning the sight of locked cases at retailers and the staffing quandaries in the city’s public safety departments. Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2025 The Reddit community sounded off about her quandary. Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 26 Jan. 2025 The previous question was from a doctor with a troubling quandary. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025 The predictably infuriating nature of those earlier scenes have all been building to these later passages, which now force this family into a heartbreaking and unexpected quandary. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quandary

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quandary was in 1579

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Cite this Entry

“Quandary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quandary. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

quandary

noun
quan·​da·​ry ˈkwän-d(ə-)rē How to pronounce quandary (audio)
plural quandaries
: a state of confusion or doubt : dilemma
in a quandary about which to choose

More from Merriam-Webster on quandary

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