What (who) is dilemma - definition
PROBLEM OFFERING TWO POSSIBILITIES, NEITHER OF WHICH IS UNAMBIGUOUSLY ACCEPTABLE OR PREFERABLE
Dilemmas; Damned if you do, damned if you don't; Dilema; Horned dilemma; Dilemna; Delimma; Dillema; Delemma; Stuck between a rock and a hard place; Double proposition
![Cartoon showing [[William Ewart Gladstone]] in a dilemma - if he climbs to escape the guard dog he will face the man's wrath, but if he drops to avoid the man, the dog will attack him](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/A Dilemma (BM 1945,0109.26).jpg?width=200 "Cartoon showing [[William Ewart Gladstone]] in a dilemma - if he climbs to escape the guard dog he will face the man's wrath, but if he drops to avoid the man, the dog will attack him")
![[[Contingency table]] of sounding (or not sounding) an alarm for a possible earthquake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Alarm dilemma.png?width=200 "[[Contingency table]] of sounding (or not sounding) an alarm for a possible earthquake")
dilemma
(dilemmas)
A dilemma is a difficult situation in which you have to choose between two or more alternatives.
He was faced with the dilemma of whether or not to return to his country...
N-COUNT
dilemma
[d?'l?m?, d??-]
¦ noun
1. a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives.
informal a difficult situation or problem.
2. Logic an argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavourable alternatives.
Origin
C16: via L. from Gk dilemma, from di- 'twice' + lemma 'premise'.
dilemma
n.
Quandary, strait, difficult choice, puzzling alternative, awkward or bad predicament.
Wikipedia
Dilemma
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A dilemma (Greek: δίλημμα "double proposition") is a problem offering two possibilities, neither of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable. The possibilities are termed the horns of the dilemma, a clichéd usage, but distinguishing the dilemma from other kinds of predicament as a matter of usage.
Pronunciation examples for dilemma
1. dilemma.
The Social Brain and The Workplace _ Matthew Lieberman _ Talks at Google
2. dilemma.
The Idea Factory _ Jon Gertner _ Talks at Google
3. dilemma.
The Social Brain and The Workplace _ Matthew Lieberman _ Talks at Google
4. dilemmas.
Debt, Democracy, and the Future of American Power _ Michael Moran _ Talks at Google
5. It's a dilemma, a dilemma of growth.
ted-talks_972_TimJackson_2010G-320k
Examples of use of dilemma
1. DONOR DILEMMA Musevenis win leaves Western donors in a dilemma.
2. Western dilemma This produces an embarrassing dilemma for Western governments.
3. Journalists across Colombia share Quintero‘s dilemma.
4. Moderate Orange Revolution supporters appreciate his dilemma.
5. Advertisement The disengagement posed a tough dilemma.