quandary
Americannoun
noun
Synonym Usage
See predicament.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of quandary
First recorded in 1570–80; perhaps fancifully from Latin quand(ō) “when” + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
How to define the word quandary? Wow, this is quite a dilemma. What to do, what to do? Hmmm. Looks like this moment itself is a quandary: a tough situation that will be really hard to resolve. If you’re uncertain what to do because all of your options seem unpleasant, you’re probably in a quandary. Some voters find themselves in a quandary when they dislike all of the candidates. A more common quandary is when you plan two events at the same time and can’t decide which one to attend. Some synonyms are predicament, dilemma, plight, and pickle — and choosing which word to use is a quandary in itself.
Vocabulary lists containing quandary
In a Pickle: Words for When You're in Trouble
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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Grade 10, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That’s the quandary faced by 49,000 residents living on the California side of Lake Tahoe, mostly in the city of South Lake Tahoe.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
OpenAI has been trying to build up its Claude Code competitor, Codex, and sees a window of opportunity in Anthropic’s quandary.
From Slate • Apr. 14, 2026
It is a nice quandary for Slegers to ponder before the first leg of an intriguing Champions League quarter-final against WSL rivals Chelsea on Tuesday.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
The quandary is on display now at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025
“Many times we have strong reasons to keep something like this secret. And I can’t tell you the reasons without giving away the secrets. Quite a quandary, isn’t it?”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
