as in dilemma
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices 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

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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.
Recent Examples of quandary Some have called for a spin-off series about Laurel’s middle-aged quandaries, about how she’s dealt with the loss of her best friend, a divorce, and a daughter who makes messy, almost unforgivable, choices. Sam Reed, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2025 To navigate a heavyweight corporate quandary, take a leaf out of Intel’s brilliant playbook — walk out, and return as your own successor. L. David Marquet, Big Think, 18 Aug. 2025 From the invention of writing to the advent of the typewriter to the rise of the personal computer as collaborator, authors have attempted to address this quandary. Joshua Bennett, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025 For the tower’s architect Hugh Stubbins, who had never designed a New York high-rise, this posed a major quandary. Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quandary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quandary
dilemma
Noun
  • For mid-market companies, this shift presents a dilemma.
    Richard Ricks, Forbes.com, 8 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

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Cite this Entry

“Quandary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quandary. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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