First Known Use: 1579
Dictionary
quandary
noun quan·da·ry \ˈkwän-d(ə-)rē\
: a situation in which you are confused about what to do
plural quan·da·ries
Full Definition of QUANDARY
: a state of perplexity or doubt
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Examples of QUANDARY
- Williams's quandary is not unlike that faced by other urban executives who have had to wrestle with a deeply rooted power structure. The problem is especially acute for African American mayors. They are expected to serve as sentries, protecting their cities' black communities and staving off so-called white encroachment. —Jonetta Rose Barras, Washington Post, 15 June 2003
- For a sticky philosophical quandary, the questions are pretty simple: am I a clerk charged with selling college degrees or am I involved in a more meaningful experience? Part of me says that no argument is more worthy of my attention. —Lynne Drury Lerych, Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2001
- … the inevitable economic quandary that faces a people in the transition from slavery to freedom, and especially those who make that change amid hate and prejudice, lawlessness and ruthless competition. —W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk, 1903
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Origin of QUANDARY
origin unknown
Related to QUANDARY
- Synonyms
- catch-22, double bind, dilemma
QUANDARIES Defined for Kids
quandary
noun quan·da·ry \ˈkwän-də-rē, -drē\
plural quan·da·ries
Definition of QUANDARY for Kids
: a state of doubt or confusion <I was in a quandary about what to do.>
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