SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
quandary
noun
A state of uncertainty about what to do or which choice to make.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Uncertainty about a choice
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topQuandary stresses not knowing what to do. A predicament may be difficult even when the best response is clear.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See quandary in use
Two equally appealing offers left the student in a quandary.
After the dinner, Jae felt discontented with the room's poor reading light and reconsidered the lamp for a concrete reason. She faced a quandary because the attractive model took more table space, while a smaller one gave less light in the shop's demonstration.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license