predicament

[pri-dik-uh-muhnt, pred-i-kuh-muhnt]

noun

1. an unpleasantly difficult, perplexing, or dangerous situation.

2. a class or category of logical or philosophical predication.

3. Archaic.,  a particular state, condition, or situation.

predicament

/ prɪˈdɪkəmənt /

noun

1. a perplexing, embarrassing, or difficult situation

2. obsolete,  logic one of Aristotle's ten categories of being

3. archaic,  a specific condition, circumstance, state, position, etc

Other Word Forms

• predicamental adjective
• predicamentally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of predicament¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1580–90 predicament for def. 1; Middle English, from Late Latin praedicāmentum “something predicated, asserted,” derivative of praedicāre. See predicate, -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of predicament¹

C14: from Late Latin praedicāmentum what is predicated, from praedicāre to announce, assert; see _predicate

Synonym Study

Predicament, dilemma, plight, quandary refer to unpleasant or puzzling situations. Predicament and plight stress more the unpleasant nature, quandary and dilemma the puzzling nature of the situation. Predicament and plight are sometimes interchangeable; plight, however, though originally meaning peril or danger, is seldom used today except laughingly: When his suit wasn't ready at the cleaners, he was in a terrible plight. Predicament, though likewise capable of being used lightly, may also refer to a really crucial situation: Stranded in a strange city without money, he was in a predicament. Dilemma, in popular use, means a position of doubt or perplexity in which one is faced by two equally undesirable alternatives: the dilemma of a hostess who must choose between offending her anti-drinking guests or disappointing those who expected cocktails. Quandary is the state of mental perplexity of one faced with a difficult situation: There seemed to be no way out of the quandary.

Example Sentences

This is the predicament facing tens of thousands of fishermen along South Korea's coastlines.

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There’s some truth to this argument, but India’s predicament is also partially of its own making.

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In one case, there’s even the awkward predicament of being competitors in one league and partners in another.

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As for Kester, he has sought help for his gambling addiction and urged others in a similar predicament to do the same.

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Now, like two bottle rockets veering wildly off course, the NFL franchises cross paths again and face similar predicaments.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circumstance 
• crisis 
• deadlock 
• dilemma 
• hardship 
• imbroglio 
• impasse 
• mess 
• plight 
• posture 
• quagmire 
• quandary