DILEMMA: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for DILEMMA?

Need another word that means the same as “dilemma”? Find 9 synonyms and 30 related words for “dilemma” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Dilemma” are: quandary, predicament, difficulty, problem, puzzle, conundrum, plight, mess, muddle

Dilemma as a Noun

Definitions of "Dilemma" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “dilemma” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• A difficult situation or problem.
• State of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options.
• An argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavourable alternatives.
• A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable.

Synonyms of "Dilemma" as a noun (9 Words)

conundrum	A confusing and difficult problem or question. One of the most difficult conundrums for the experts.
difficulty	A condition or state of affairs almost beyond one’s ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome. There is a practical difficulty.
mess	A meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel. She made a mess of the kitchen.
muddle	Informal terms for a difficult situation. A bureaucratic muddle.
plight	A dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation. We must direct our efforts towards relieving the plight of children living in poverty.
predicament	(in Aristotelian logic) each of the ten ‘categories’, often listed as: substance or being, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, posture, having or possession, action, and passion. Finds himself in a most awkward predicament.
problem	A thing that is difficult to achieve. Motivation of staff can also be a problem.
puzzle	A jigsaw puzzle. Those who solve this puzzle in the shortest time are eligible for awards.
quandary	State of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options. A legal quandary.

Usage Examples of "Dilemma" as a noun

• He wants to make money, but he also disapproves of it: Den's dilemma in a nutshell.
• The insoluble dilemma of adolescence.

Associations of "Dilemma" (30 Words)

adversity	A difficult or unpleasant situation. Debt ridden farmers struggling with adversity.
agonize	Cause to agonize. I didn t agonize over the problem.
ail	Be ill or unwell. Exercise is good for whatever ails one.
challenge	Issue a challenge to. A challenge to the legality of the banning order.
complication	A circumstance that complicates something; a difficulty. To add further complication English speakers use a different name.
difficult	(of a person) not easy to please or satisfy; awkward. The questions are too difficult for the children.
difficulty	A condition or state of affairs almost beyond one’s ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome. They agreed about the difficulty of the climb.
disquiet	Disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed. Public disquiet about animal testing.
distress	Bring into difficulties or distress especially financial hardship. They said the baby was in distress.
hardship	Severe suffering or privation. The many hardships of frontier life.
impasse	A situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible. The current political impasse.
inconvenience	To cause inconvenience or discomfort to. Noise and fumes from traffic would inconvenience residents.
knotty	Extremely difficult or complex. Panelling in knotty pine.
nuisance	A bothersome annoying person. I hope you re not going to make a nuisance of yourself.
perturb	Throw into great confusion or disorder. The orbits of these stars were perturbed by the passings of a comet.
plight	A situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one. The woeful plight of homeless people.
predicament	(in Aristotelian logic) each of the ten ‘categories’, often listed as: substance or being, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, posture, having or possession, action, and passion. The club s financial predicament.
problem	An inquiry starting from given conditions to investigate or demonstrate a fact, result, or law. Our homework consisted of ten problems to solve.
problematic	Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe. The problematics of artificial intelligence.
puzzled	Filled with bewilderment. She looked puzzled and angry with him.
quandary	State of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options. A legal quandary.
questionable	Subject to question. A fire of questionable origin.
stalemate	Subject to a stalemate. The war had again reached stalemate.
suffering	Psychological suffering. His disregard for the sufferings of his fellow countrymen.
tangled	In a confused mass. Oh what a tangled web we weave.
tortuous	Marked by repeated turns and bends. Tortuous negotiations lasting for months.
tough	Physically toughened. We have six tough matches in a row.
trouble	Take the trouble to do something concern oneself. Heart trouble.
unaccustomed	Not familiar or usual; out of the ordinary. A new budget of unaccustomed austerity.
upset	The act of upsetting something. The greatest upset in boxing history.