dilemma
dilemma Lexical Profile
dilemma Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones.
"The committee faced a serious ethical dilemma regarding how to allocate the limited research funding."
In logic and rhetoric, an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent, each of which leads to an unacceptable conclusion.
"In his treatise, the philosopher constructed a classic logical dilemma to refute the skeptic's premise."
Word Nuance & Usage
Traditionally, a dilemma refers strictly to a choice between two equally unfavorable alternatives (as reflected in the Greek prefix 'di-'), though in modern usage it is widely accepted for any difficult problem or predicament.
• Rhymes for dilemma
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century via Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'dilemma' ('ambiguous proposition'), formed from 'di-' ('twice') and 'lemma' ('premise' or 'anything received or taken').