quandary

American  

[kwon-duh-ree, -dree] / ˈkwɒn də ri, -dri /

noun

plural

quandaries

1. a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma.

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quandary British  

/ -dərɪ, ˈkwɒndrɪ /

noun

1. a situation or circumstance that presents problems difficult to solve; predicament; dilemma

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Related Words

See predicament.

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.

Example Sentences

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

Valerie’s quandary seems much plainer in that her show’s success would be a death sentence for entertainment creatives.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

Stagflation is a period of little or no economic growth and high inflation, which poses a quandary for central bankers as raising interest rates to reduce inflation is a sure recipe to trigger a recession.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

This is the central quandary of the shot diet: deciding where on the floor to feast.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025

It left Toby in a bit of a quandary.

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

Related Words

• difficulty
• dilemma
• embarrassment
• impasse
• plight
• predicament
• puzzle
• uncertainty