dilemma
Fork with consequences
A dilemma is a situation requiring a choice between two options, both of which are undesirable or mutually exclusive.
The classic dilemma forces you to pick the lesser of two evils: She faced the dilemma of reporting her friend's theft or staying silent and being complicit.
In casual use, dilemma often just means a difficult decision or problem, though purists insist the word should involve exactly two alternatives.
The phrase on the horns of a dilemma captures the sense of being caught between two equally painful choices.
State of perplexity
- indecisionFailure to decide
- perplexityMental state of confusion
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
vacillation · doubt · wavering · torn · conflicted · unsure · puzzled · bewilderment
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- antinomyContradiction between valid conclusions
- hornsBony animal projections
- either-orPresenting two alternatives
binary · incompatible · premises · reasoning · hypothetical
Settled course of action
- choiceAct of selecting
- optionsAvailable courses of action
- alternativeAnother available choice
- selectCarefully pick from options
pick · preference · determine · resolve · weigh · evaluate · deliberate · prioritize
Fasten or obligate
- plightDifficult, dangerous situation
- pickleVinegar-preserved vegetable
- jamCooked fruit spread
- fixRepair or solution
corner · quagmire · hole · scrape · trouble · box · mire · catch-22
Mutual blocking, no progress
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
logjam · insoluble · unresolvable · stuck · zero-sum
Study of right conduct
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
scruples · duty · righteousness · justice · fairness · responsibility · values · morality
quandary
State of perplexity
- indecisionFailure to decide
- perplexityMental state of confusion
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
hesitation · vacillation · doubt · wavering · torn · conflicted · unsure · puzzled · bewilderment · equivocation
paradox
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- antinomyContradiction between valid conclusions
- hornsBony animal projections
either-or · binary · incompatible · premises · reasoning · hypothetical
decision
Settled course of action
- choiceAct of selecting
- optionsAvailable courses of action
- alternativeAnother available choice
select · pick · preference · determine · resolve · weigh · evaluate · deliberate · prioritize · judgment
bind
Fasten or obligate
fix · corner · quagmire · hole · scrape · trouble · box · mire · catch-22 · no-win
deadlock
Mutual blocking, no progress
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
standoff · logjam · insoluble · unresolvable · stuck · zero-sum
ethics
Study of right conduct
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- principlesFoundational moral beliefs
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
integrity · scruples · duty · righteousness · justice · fairness · responsibility · values · morality · ought
- confusionconfusion, confused, bewilderment, perplexity, baffled
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
- trade-offstrade-off, pros and cons, double-edged sword, mixed blessing, give and take
- what-ifswhat if, hypothetical, thought experiment, speculation, conjecture
- dilemmastough call, lesser evil, crossroads, fork in road, value conflict
- logic rulessyllogism, inference, contraposition, double negation, conjunction
dilemmasolution
Answer or liquid mixture
resolution · answer · remedy · fix · way out
dilemmano-brainer
Self-evident decision
cinch · breeze · snap · cakewalk · piece of cake
dilemmano-brainer
Self-evident decision
clear path · certainty · foregone conclusion · clarity · conviction
- false dilemmaReasoning error limiting options
- moral dilemmaChoice testing one's values
- ethical dilemmaSituation with competing values
- prisoner's dilemmaStrategic game theory scenario
- on the horns of a dilemmaFacing equally bad choices
- prisoners dilemmaStrategic betrayal scenario