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TOEFL IELTS BNC: 4551 COCA: 4118

dilemma

2 ENTRIES FOUND:
dilemma /dəˈlɛmə/ noun
plural dilemmas
dilemma
/dəˈlɛmə/
noun
plural dilemmas
Learner's definition of DILEMMA
[count]
: a situation in which you have to make a difficult choice（进退两难的）窘境，困境

on the horns of a dilemma

— see 1horn
TOEFL IELTS BNC: 4551 COCA: 4118

dilemma

noun

di·​lem·​ma də-ˈle-mə How to pronounce dilemma (audio)
 also  dī-
1
a
: a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice
faces this dilemma: raise interest rates and slow the economy or lower them and risk serious inflation
b
: a situation involving such a choice
here am I brought to a very pretty dilemma; I must commit murder or commit matrimony George Farquhar
broadly : predicament
lords and bailiffs were in a terrible dilemma G. M. Trevelyan
2
a
: a problem involving a difficult choice
the dilemma of "liberty versus order" J. M. Burns
b
: a difficult or persistent problem
unemployment … the great central dilemma of our advancing technology August Heckscher
3
: an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent
dilemmatic
ˌdi-lə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce dilemma (audio)
 also  ˌdī-
adjective
Usage of Dilemma

Although some commentators insist that dilemma be restricted to instances in which the alternatives to be chosen are equally unsatisfactory, their concern is misplaced; the unsatisfactoriness of the options is usually a matter of how the author presents them. What is distressing or painful about a dilemma is having to make a choice one does not want to make. The use of such adjectives as terrible, painful, and irreconcilable suggests that dilemma is losing some of its unpleasant force.

Synonyms

Example Sentences

When it comes to the boss, there is a real dilemma. You're caught between a career-limiting rejection of virtual friendship or a career-limiting access to photos of yourself glassy-eyed at a party. Jared Sandberg, Wall Street Journal, 10 July 2007 What's a pampered 20-something to do when her rich fiancé goes on a business trip and comes back married to someone else? That's the dilemma facing Elle Medina in Nichols's delightfully silly, vivacious debut. Publishers Weekly, 28 June 2004 Both authors are prepared to dwell as long on the savor of a ripe melon as on the significance of a moral dilemma. Roger Shattuck, New York Review of Books, 13 June 2002 The country's decision to go to war has caused a major dilemma for its allies. We're facing a terrible dilemma. I don't know what to do; it's a real dilemma. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Markus Zwink has expanded the score, written by Rochus Dedler of Oberammergau in the 1810s, toward a Beethovian muscularity, with hints of Mahlerian neurosis amplifying Judas’s dilemma. Dominic Green, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 Expressing one’s enthusiasm for Glass Onion, Rian Johnson’s sequel to Knives Out, presents a dilemma. John Defore, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2022 Moreira’s dilemma gets at the shortcomings of Biden’s student debt relief plan, say activists and researchers. Diti Kohli, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022 Now the attorney general faced a new dilemma: what to do about the missing documents. Anchorage Daily News, 13 Aug. 2022 But the change in the law meant her OB-GYN, Dr. Jordan Crow, faced a dilemma. Kristen Dahlgren, NBC News, 8 Aug. 2022 In our new feature, Trip Quandary, three travel advisers take on a typical dilemma and do their best to calm decision-making jitters and suggest sound solutions. Donna Bulseco, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 The perfect solution to the 'no drawing on the walls' dilemma. Alicia Mies, Good Housekeeping, 1 Sep. 2022 In the 300 years since Isaac Newton outlined the dilemma in his Principia, diligent physicists have only been able to offer special-case solutions for restricted versions of the problem. WIRED, 30 Aug. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Late Greek dilēmmat-, dilēmma, probably back-formation from Greek dilēmmatos involving two assumptions, from di- + lēmmat-, lēmma assumption — more at lemma

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of dilemma was in 1523

Phrases Containing dilemma
TOEFL IELTS BNC: 4551 COCA: 4118
dilemma

noun

ADJECTIVE | VERB + DILEMMA | DILEMMA + VERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASES ADJECTIVE➤acute, appalling, big, difficult, genuine, great, impossible, real, serious, terrible, thorny (especially NAmE) 嚴重的困境；巨大的窘境；棘手的困境；真正的兩難局面▸➤central, essential, fundamental核心的取捨困難；根本的兩難境地◇The fundamental dilemma remains: in a tolerant society, should we tolerate intolerance?基本的矛盾仍未消除：在寬容的社會裏，我們應不應該容忍狹隘 ?➤common, familiar常見的／熟悉的兩難困境▸➤interesting有趣的兩難局面▸➤human人類的兩難困境▸➤personal個人的左右為難▸➤ethical, moral倫理上難以取捨；道德上左右為難▸➤social社會的窘境▸➤policy, political政策上的兩難困境；政治上的窘境VERB + DILEMMA➤create, pose, present sb with造成兩難困境；引起左右為難；置某人於兩難困境◇This poses a difficult dilemma for teachers.這種情況讓老師很為難。➤be caught in, be faced with, confront, face, find yourself in, have陷入進退兩難的局面；面臨左右為難的窘境；發現自己左右為難；難以取捨◇They were caught in a real dilemma.他們陷入了進退兩難的境地。➤resolve, solve解決兩難的問題◇I could see no way of resolving this moral dilemma.我想不出解決這種道德上的兩難問題的辦法。DILEMMA + VERB➤arise, occur兩難局面產生◇the dilemma that arises when a doctor has to decide whether or not to prescribe an expensive treatment醫生必須決定是否開昂貴處方的兩難處境➤lie取捨困難存在◇The dilemma over human cloning lies at the heart of the ethical choices facing society.人類克隆的兩難處境本質上是社會面臨的倫理選擇問題。➤confront sb, face sb取捨問題擺在某人面前◇The dilemma facing the country's allies was even more serious.這個國家的盟國面臨的兩難困境更加嚴峻。PREPOSITION➤in a/the dilemma處在兩難困境中◇The president is now in a dilemma.總統現在陷入兩難境地。➤dilemma about, dilemma over在⋯上的左右為難◇She faced a dilemma about whether to accept the offer or not.她左右為難，不知道該不該接受這一提議。➤dilemma between在⋯之間的難以取捨◇the perennial dilemma between work and family commitments事業成功與履行家庭義務之間長期存在的矛盾PHRASES➤a solution to a dilemma, a way out of a dilemma矛盾的解決方案；擺脫兩難困境的方法◇I couldn't see any way out of the dilemma.我看不到有任何擺脫這個兩難局面的辦法。

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