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quandary definition

quan·dary (kwän′də rē, -drē)

noun pl. quandaries -·ries

a state of uncertainty; perplexing situation or position; dilemma

Etymology: earlier quandare, prob. orig. jocular pseudo-L < L quande, var. of quam, how much (see quantity) + -are, inf. suffix

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

quandary Synonyms

quandary

n.

dilemma, plight, puzzle, perplexity; see difficulty 1, 2, predicament. See syn. study at predicament.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

quandary Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • reform: Grasping the nettle There is no simple resolution to the quandary of police reform in Northern Ireland.

Converse of object

  • pose: Commenting on the findings Andy Bond, Managing Director of ECT, said: These findings clearly pose a quandary for councils.

Adjective modifier

  • ethical: What I've just found out is that someone who came with me from Earth has been put in an ethical quandary.

Noun used with modifier

  • PC: This offers itself as precisely the sort of PC quandary that Anthony Browne highlights in his slim volume.
quandary usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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"quandary." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/quandary>

APA Style

quandary. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/quandary

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