What does dilemma mean?
A dilemma is a situation in which a person must make a difficult choice, typically between two alternatives that are both unattractive or carry unwelcome consequences. The word derives from Greek elements meaning "two premises" and entered English via Latin in the early modern period, originally as a term of rhetoric and logic before broadening into everyday use. Today it most often appears in phrases such as "moral dilemma," "ethical dilemma," and "faced with a dilemma," describing genuine conflicts of obligation, interest, or principle rather than ordinary decisions. Although some commentators maintain that only a two-option conflict qualifies as a dilemma, the word is now widely accepted for any perplexing predicament involving hard choices. Its enduring usefulness lies in capturing not just difficulty, but the specific discomfort of being pulled between competing demands where every path has a cost.
nounA situation in which a difficult choice must be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable. More strictly, it denotes a choice between two equally unfavourable options.
- A situation requiring a choice between two (or, loosely, more) alternatives, especially when both are unpleasant or unsatisfactory.
- (In logic) A form of argument offering an opponent a choice between two unfavourable alternatives; a syllogism with two conditional premises and a disjunctive one.
"She faced a dilemma when the job she wanted required relocating away from her ageing parents."
"The committee faced the dilemma of cutting costs without laying off staff."
"Caught between loyalty to her friend and her duty as a witness, she found herself in a painful dilemma."
The standard plural simply adds -s; there are no irregular forms.
"Modern bioethics presents doctors with dilemmas their predecessors never had to face."
"Dilemma" comes from the Greek for "double premise" — so strictly speaking, if you have three bad choices, you don't have a dilemma, you have something worse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dilemma
Dilemma comes from the Greek dilēmma, formed from di- ("twice, double") and lēmma ("premise, assumption"), literally meaning "double premise." It was adopted into Late Latin and entered English in the early sixteenth century, first used by rhetoricians to describe a form of argument that traps an opponent between two unfavourable conclusions. From this technical logical sense it extended figuratively to any difficult choice between two alternatives, and eventually, more loosely, to any perplexing predicament. Related words sharing the Greek root lēmma include lemma itself and, through different routes, diploma and problem.
How dilemma is actually used
Dilemma carries a connotation of genuine difficulty or distress; it should not be used for trivial choices like what to have for lunch. Purists insist that a true dilemma involves exactly two alternatives, but the looser sense covering any difficult predicament is well established in standard usage. The phrase 'Hobson's choice' is sometimes contrasted with dilemma — a Hobson's choice is really no choice at all.
Easily confused with dilemma
A dichotomy is a division into two contrasting parts or categories, whereas a dilemma is a difficult choice between options.
A quagmire is an inextricable, messy situation with no clear way out, while a dilemma specifically involves having to choose between alternatives.