1
as in problems
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 predicaments
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
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Recent Examples of dilemmas
To help resolve these dilemmas, European industry leaders are calling for government support, including subsidies and tax breaks, to level the playing field with Chinese competitors whose products come at unbeatable prices.
—
Andy Browne, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.
—Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
In addition to comparing chatbot and Reddit responses, the researchers conducted experiments observing about 2,400 people communicating with an AI chatbot about their experiences with interpersonal dilemmas.
—Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Set in a small Nenets community in the Arctic peninsula of Yamal, Nerkagi’s White Moss invites the reader into the impossible dilemmas of navigating an Indigenous life in the modern world.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
During a week-long recuperation, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Ownership’s choice to have Brzezinski oversee these weighty dilemmas in the aftermath of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing was not random.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Braude grounds his narrative in the persistent dilemmas of journalism, especially the question of how to tell the story of a bewildering moment without the benefit of hindsight.
—Casey Schwartz, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
But the body concerns and identity dilemmas associated with middle age are different from those that plague adolescence and young adulthood.
—Rebecca Lester, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
Andy Browne, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.
—Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
In addition to comparing chatbot and Reddit responses, the researchers conducted experiments observing about 2,400 people communicating with an AI chatbot about their experiences with interpersonal dilemmas.
—Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Set in a small Nenets community in the Arctic peninsula of Yamal, Nerkagi’s White Moss invites the reader into the impossible dilemmas of navigating an Indigenous life in the modern world.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
During a week-long recuperation, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash.
—Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Ownership’s choice to have Brzezinski oversee these weighty dilemmas in the aftermath of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing was not random.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Braude grounds his narrative in the persistent dilemmas of journalism, especially the question of how to tell the story of a bewildering moment without the benefit of hindsight.
—Casey Schwartz, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
But the body concerns and identity dilemmas associated with middle age are different from those that plague adolescence and young adulthood.
—Rebecca Lester, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilemmas
Noun
-
Wilcox sued Tarrant County GOP chair Tim Davis when she was removed from the ballot in the House District 98 primary because of problems with her paperwork.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
While some funding exists to address problems, state documents show, there is not enough money to cover all the drinking water projects that need attention in Indiana.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Victorian novels made good use of the predicaments of second and third sons, who had to become ministers or soldiers or schemers, and daughters who needed to be married off according to age.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The life of a globe-trotting environmentalist is a breeding ground for moral quandaries.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Three little people’s romantic quandaries are indeed inextricable from the crazy world.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Megan Thee Stallion ‘Was Gonna Eat This Anyway’ Megan Thee Stallion, who was publicly spotted combining Flamin’ Hot Cheetos with actual pickles before the partnership ever came together, is a genuine fan of the product (and flavor).—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilemmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilemmas. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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