Definitions

predicament

[pri-dik-uh-muhnt, pred-i-kuh-muhnt] / prɪˈdɪk ə mənt, ˈprɛd ɪ kə mənt /

NOUN

difficult situation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

circumstance crisis deadlock dilemma hardship imbroglio impasse mess plight posture quagmire quandary

STRONG

asperity bind clutch condition corner drag emergency exigency fix hang-up hole jam juncture lot muddle pass perplexity pickle pinch position puzzle rigor scrape soup spot state strait vicissitude

WEAK

Catch-22 bad news deep water hot water large order rough go ticklish spot tight situation trouble

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage agreement benefit blessing breakthrough solution

STRONG

boon closure ease good fortune peace success

WEAK

fix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Their fate isn’t nearly as interesting as their predicament.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

This is the peculiar predicament of Homo sapiens.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Punch's predicament sparked huge interest online, spawning a devoted fanbase under the hashtag #HangInTherePunch.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

The 28 year-old understands the predicament many customers are in, but his firm has outgoings of £10,000 a month before wages, whether they work or not.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Looking around, I saw that all of us were in the same predicament.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Vocabulary lists containing predicament

In a Pickle: Words for When You're in Trouble

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

List 3

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

World Without Fish

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!