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
Porcelain War, through its beauty and the magnetism of its characters, offers another way to address this dilemma.
—
Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
The risk that prices could rise as a result of the White House’s trade war makes for a fraught policy dilemma at the Fed.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2025
That would be the quiet young man sitting opposite me in a pub in Stockport while the Liverpool vice-captain wrestles with the dilemma of whether to leave for Real Madrid to pursue his dream of winning the Ballon d’Or.
—Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
Other data showed evidence of moral improvement: people's rates of cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game from 1956 to 2017 increased.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
The risk that prices could rise as a result of the White House’s trade war makes for a fraught policy dilemma at the Fed.
—Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2025
That would be the quiet young man sitting opposite me in a pub in Stockport while the Liverpool vice-captain wrestles with the dilemma of whether to leave for Real Madrid to pursue his dream of winning the Ballon d’Or.
—Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 8 Feb. 2025
Other data showed evidence of moral improvement: people's rates of cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game from 1956 to 2017 increased.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dilemma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemma
Noun
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The control problem: A barrier to real-world use Think about it — a highly advanced prosthetic hand is only as good as the user's ability to control it.—
Kurt Knutsson,
Fox News,
1 Mar. 2025
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Air traffic controllers would continue to work, though there have been problems with absenteeism during previous shutdowns.—
Riley Beggin,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Now, there are clearly two ways out of this predicament for Leeds United.—
Jordan Campbell,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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Is there a way out of our divided country’s seemingly hopeless predicament?—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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The Reddit community sounded off about her quandary.—
Erica Lamberg,
Fox News,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The company mentioned Pinterest naming pickles as a top trend for 2025 as another reason for the new flavor.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
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So what makes this gentle would-be romance between a bookstore clerk and a pickle vendor so timeless, so endlessly appealing?—
Jason Bailey,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dilemma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemma. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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