predicament
noun
pre·dic·a·ment
pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt 
sense 1 is usually ˈpre-di-kə-
1
: the character, status, or classification assigned by a predication
specifically
: category sense 1
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.
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
There seems to be a single answer to every predicament in which a writer might find herself; reached an impasse in your manuscript?
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Carson Beck has been in this predicament before.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
The city’s current trash predicament traces back to Measure B, a city ballot measure passed in 2022 that ended the decades-long practice of San Diego providing free trash service to single-family homes and many small townhome and apartment complexes.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Saturday’s teamsheet saw the stars align on the predicament United’s hierarchy wanted to avoid this summer.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predicament
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Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Carson Beck has been in this predicament before.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
The city’s current trash predicament traces back to Measure B, a city ballot measure passed in 2022 that ended the decades-long practice of San Diego providing free trash service to single-family homes and many small townhome and apartment complexes.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Saturday’s teamsheet saw the stars align on the predicament United’s hierarchy wanted to avoid this summer.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predicament
Cite this Entry
“Predicament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predicament. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predicament
noun
pre·dic·a·ment
pri-ˈdik-ə-mənt
: a difficult, puzzling, or trying situation : fix
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