WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
di•lem•ma /dɪˈlɛmə/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -mas.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives:I was in a dilemma: should I continue to work or go back to school?
di•lem•ma
(di lem′ə),USA pronunciation n.
dil•em•mat•ic
(dil′ə mat′ik),USA pronunciation dil′em•mat′i•cal, di•lem′mic, adj.
dil′em•mat′i•cal•ly, adv.
- a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives.
- any difficult or perplexing situation or problem.
- Philosophy[Logic.]a form of syllogism in which the major premise is formed of two or more hypothetical propositions and the minor premise is a disjunctive proposition, as "If A, then B; if C then D. Either A or C. Therefore, either B or D.''
- Greek dílēmma, equivalent. to di- di-1 + lêmma an assumption, premise, derivative of lambánein to take
- Late Latin
- 1515–25
- 1. See predicament. 2. question, difficulty.
'dilemmatic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):