dilemma

Everyday

1. A dilemma is a hard choice between two (or more) options when each one has a bad side, so it is hard to know what is right. tree →
2. (ethics) A moral dilemma is a choice where two good rules pull against each other, like being honest and being kind. tree →

In the lessons

In ethics lessons and the ethics olympiad, pupils discuss dilemmas: should you tell the teacher a friend cheated? Should you keep a found wallet's money for a hungry family? They weigh consequences, rules and feelings. In stories a dilemma builds tension, because the reader wonders what the hero will choose. Phrases: face a dilemma, a moral dilemma, be in a dilemma, the horns of a dilemma.

Examples

• I had a dilemma: go to my best friend's party or my cousin's. tree →
• Telling the truth would hurt Sam's feelings — it was a real dilemma. tree →
• The class argued about a moral dilemma for an hour. tree →
• The hero's dilemma was to save the town or save his dog. tree →
• Mum faced a dilemma: work late or see my concert. tree →
• Our team won the ethics olympiad by explaining the dilemma clearly. tree →
• This question placed Iwanich in a dilemma. tree →

Note

Countable; plural dilemmas. Spelling: two m's (dilemma), one l. Strictly, a dilemma is not just any problem: it is a choice where every option costs something.