Meaning & use

dilemma

noun·Academic

A situation requiring a difficult choice between two or more options, often equally undesirable.

See it in a sentence

She faced a dilemma: accept the job abroad or stay near her family.

The ethical dilemma left the entire committee divided for several weeks.

A note on using this word

Dilemma traditionally implies exactly two difficult choices, though it is now commonly used more loosely for any hard decision.

Words with a similar meaning

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