quandary

Meaning

1. A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement.
2. A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice.

Synonyms

dilemma

predicament

plight

bewilderment

puzzle

perplexity

uncertainness

uncertainty

incertitude

difficulty

precariousness

nonplus

complication

problem

query

question

❓

snag

strait

tradeoff

trade-off

difficult problem

poverty

destitution

false position

conundrum

fix

hitch

lurch

matter

misery

confusion

Hyphenated as

quan‧da‧ry

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkwɒn.də.ɹi/

Etymology

16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).