Dilemma — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /də-ˈle-mə/ di·lem·ma

Meaning & Definition of Dilemma

Dilemma (noun)

  1. a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice
  2. a situation involving such a choice; broadly, predicament
  3. a problem involving a difficult choice

Dilemma (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: catch-22, double bind, quandary
    related: deadlock, impasse, quagmire, stalemate, standoff, knot, problem, bind, difficulty, fix, hole, jam, pickle, pinch, plight, predicament, spot
    near: breeze, cinch, duck soup, snap

  2. 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"

    similar: bind, box, catch-22, corner, fix, hole, impasse, jackpot (chiefly West), jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, rabbit hole, rattrap, spot, sticky wicket, swamp, kettle of fish
    related: difficulty, node, hot water, soup, pinch, plight, quandary, scrape, trouble, deadlock, halt, logjam, stalemate, standstill, clutch, crisis, crossroad, emergency, exigency, juncture, strait

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dilemma

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dilemma:

Chiefly West: jackpot
catch-22, double bind, quandary, bind, box, corner, fix, hole, impasse, jam, mire, pickle, predicament, quagmire, rabbit hole, rattrap, spot, sticky wicket, swamp, kettle of fish

Related Words for Dilemma

deadlock, stalemate, standoff, knot, problem, difficulty, pinch, plight, node, hot water, soup, scrape, trouble, halt, logjam, standstill, clutch, crisis, crossroad, emergency, exigency, juncture, strait

Near Antonyms of Dilemma

breeze, cinch, duck soup, snap

Word Forms of Dilemma

Derived words: dilemmatic (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Dilemma

Late Latin, from Late Greek dilēmmat-, dilēmma, probably back-formation from Greek dilēmmatos involving two assumptions, from di- + lēmmat-, lēmma assumption lemma

First known use: 1523

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dilemma

Words & Phrases Containing Dilemma

on the horns of a dilemma

Frequently Asked Questions about Dilemma

What does "Dilemma" mean?

"Dilemma" means a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice. As a noun, it is defined as: a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dilemma"?

Other words for "Dilemma" include catch-22, double bind, quandary, bind, box, corner, fix and hole. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dilemma" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dilemma"?

There are 44 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dilemma". Common alternatives include catch-22, double bind, quandary, bind, box, corner, fix, hole, impasse and jackpot.

How do you use "Dilemma" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dilemma" in a sentence: "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"; "with home prices in a free fall, sellers were in a terrible dilemma".

Is "Dilemma" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dilemma" is a noun.

Is "Dilemma" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Dilemma" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Dilemma"?

"Dilemma" is pronounced /də-ˈle-mə/ and divided into syllables as di·lem·ma.

What is the origin of the word "Dilemma"?

"Dilemma" comes from Late Latin, from Late Greek dilēmmat-, dilēmma, probably back-formation from Greek dilēmmatos involving two assumptions, from di- + lēmmat-, lēmma assumption lemma. First known use: 1523.