dilemma

dilemma — noun

1. A situation where you must choose between two possible courses of action, and th

1.nounB2
Definition

A situation where you must choose between two possible courses of action, and the decision is not easy because each option brings both advantages and disadvantages.

Example

After receiving offers from two universities, Ari faced a dilemma about which one to attend.

face a dilemma about + [noun]

The committee faced a dilemma: new computers or staff training.

dilemma presented with colon between two options

Common collocations
  • face a dilemma
  • be in a dilemma
  • dilemma about/over something
  • dilemma of whether to...
  • caught in a dilemma
  • pose/present a dilemma
Synonyms
  • quandary

    Focuses more on the mental state of uncertainty than on the choice itself; slightly more formal.

  • predicament

    Emphasizes that the situation is unpleasant or embarrassing; does not always involve a choice.

  • catch-22

    A specific type of dilemma where each option is blocked by a contradictory rule, making all solutions impossible.

Antonyms
  • win-win situation

    A scenario where all possible choices lead to positive outcomes — the opposite of a dilemma.

  • no-brainer

    An extremely easy decision where one option is clearly best; informal.

Grammar Patterns

dilemma of + [gerund/noun]

dilemma about/over + [noun]

face a dilemma

be (caught) in a dilemma

Usage Note

Frequently appears in the patterns 'the dilemma of whether to + verb' and 'face a dilemma about/over + noun'. The two alternatives are often introduced with 'either...or...' or expressed as a choice between two noun phrases connected by 'or'. For the distinction between dilemma and a mere difficult problem, see common_mistakes below.

Common Mistakes

I had a dilemma about what to eat for lunch.
I could not decide what to eat for lunch.
A dilemma involves a significant choice with meaningful consequences, not a trivial daily decision.
The company faces a financial dilemma.' (when no clear choice between alternatives is stated).
The company faces a difficult financial problem.
Dilemma requires two or more specific options to choose between.

2. A situation where every available option is unpleasant or harmful, and you are f

2.nounB2
Definition

A situation where every available option is unpleasant or harmful, and you are forced to pick one — so whatever you decide, you must accept some degree of loss or discomfort.

Example

Hamza faced a moral dilemma: report his friend's cheating or stay quiet and feel dishonest.

moral dilemma + two bad choices presented with colon

The hospital's dilemma was choosing which patients to treat when beds ran out.

dilemma where both options cause harm

Common collocations
  • moral dilemma
  • ethical dilemma
  • terrible dilemma
  • real dilemma
  • on the horns of a dilemma
  • caught in a dilemma
Synonyms
  • catch-22

    A dilemma made impossible by contradictory rules; more specific and literary.

  • lesser of two evils

    A phrase rather than a single word; describes choosing the less harmful option in a dilemma where both are bad.

  • double bind

    A psychological dilemma where conflicting demands make any response wrong; used in psychology and communication theory.

Antonyms
  • choice between equals

    A situation where both options are equally good, making the decision merely a matter of preference.

Grammar Patterns

moral/ethical dilemma

dilemma + of having to choose between

be on the horns of a dilemma

Usage Note

This sense carries the strongest implication that all alternatives are equally unfavorable. Common modifier adjectives are 'moral', 'ethical', 'terrible', and 'real'. Distinguish from Sense 1 (HARD CHOICE): in Sense 2, the key is that NOT choosing is also bad — you are forced to accept harm regardless of your decision.

Common Mistakes

It is a win-win dilemma.
It is a win-win situation.
A dilemma cannot exist if all outcomes are good.
We had no choice at all, so it was a terrible dilemma.
We had a terrible dilemma because both options were bad.
If there truly is no choice, there is no dilemma; the word describes the difficulty of choosing.
Idioms

on the horns of a dilemma

idiom

Caught in a situation where both options are equally bad and you cannot avoid choosing between them.

The prime minister was on the horns of a dilemma: raise taxes and lose popularity, or cut services and anger voters.

Word family

  • dilemmatic
    adjectiveC1
  • dilemmatically
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe difficult situations, but they highlight different aspects. A dilemma specifically involves a choice between alternatives — usually two — where neither option is clearly better. A quandary emphasizes mental confusion and uncertainty about what to do; you can be in a quandary without having a clear set of options to weigh. A predicament is broader: it is any unpleasant, tricky situation you want to escape from — it may or may not involve a conscious choice. A catch-22 is a particular logical paradox where the solution to one problem creates another, so you are trapped no matter what. In everyday use, 'bind' is the most informal option, roughly meaning a tight spot with limited room to act. For example: 'I was in a bind because I had two deadlines at once' is casual; 'the ethical dilemma of telling the truth versus protecting someone's privacy' is more formal.

quandarypredicament ↗catch-22bind ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word 'dilemma' comes from Greek 'dilemmaton', formed from 'di-' (two) and 'lemma' (premise or proposition). It was originally a term in formal logic and rhetoric, describing an argument that forced an opponent to choose between two equally unfavorable conclusions. The word entered English in the early 1500s through Latin, and by the 1600s it had broadened from its technical logical sense to the everyday meaning of any difficult choice between alternatives.