predicament

noun

pre·​dic·​a·​ment pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt How to pronounce predicament (audio)
 sense 1 is usually  ˈpre-di-kə-
1
: the character, status, or classification assigned by a predication
specifically : category sense 1
2
: condition, state
especially : a difficult, perplexing, or trying situation

Examples of predicament in a Sentence

The captain of archers fidgeted and coughed and rolled his eyes at his men, as if such cupidity and dishonor were an inevitable but minor aspect of the human predicament Michael Chabon, New York Times Magazine, 6 May 2007
We saw photographs that week of buildings burning, stunned onlookers, dust-covered firemen. Very few pictures conveyed the fact that people just like us, our fellow passengers on the subway, suddenly found themselves in a mortal predicament and many died horribly. Garrison Keillor, New York Times Book Review, 3 Sept. 2006
The President found himself in the backwash of earlier deals, and the demands of secrecy made his predicament the more vexing. Taylor Branch, Parting the Waters, 1988
The governor has gotten himself into quite a predicament. I don't know how to get out of the predicament I'm in.
Recent Examples on the Web Relief from a state appeals court would be the least painful way out of Trump’s predicament, the people said. Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Since the sister shared her predicament, her post has amassed over 5,000 likes and 2,000 comments. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 In the face of such dire predicaments, Monterey County supervisors in late February asked those distributing the aid to be as flexible as possible with documentation. Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 That leaves only two categories that pose a significant predicament for awards prognosticators: Motion Picture Cast and Male Actor in a Leading Role. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024 The New Leviathans, unlike Liberalism Against Itself, is a sad book, one that suggests there is no way out of the present predicament. Helena Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Original photo source: Prince Of Wales/Kensington Palace By The New York Times Having set out to control her image, Catherine now finds herself in a predicament not unlike some of her royal forebears, dogged by an online pack no less feral than the photographers who chased Diana in Paris. Mark Landler, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 As budget woes loom, officials are weighing these options Jan. 9, 2024 Adoption of the more conservative proposal puts the city in a more dire budget predicament than if the more aggressive approach had been approved. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Two mariners faced a terrifying predicament in the remote Atlantic, when a lighting strike punched a hole through their sailboat just minutes before sunset. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'predicament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin praedicamentum, from praedicare — see predicate entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of predicament was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near predicament

Cite this Entry

“Predicament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predicament. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

predicament

noun
pre·​dic·​a·​ment pri-ˈdik-ə-mənt How to pronounce predicament (audio)
: a difficult, puzzling, or trying situation : fix

More from Merriam-Webster on predicament

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!