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
In fact, Luton are only four points behind Stoke City, yet another top-flight old boy, in 18th place, so there is a path out of this predicament.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
The predicament got even worse the following day, when Perez’s RB16 stopped on the formation lap and he was forced to start from the pit-lane.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Die Hard left Karl’s escape from this predicament unexplained.
—Chris Klimek, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
That’s the exact predicament Bianca faced in Wednesday’s episode when the Civa tribe was sent to Tribal Council for the very first time.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predicament
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Matt Slater, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
The predicament got even worse the following day, when Perez’s RB16 stopped on the formation lap and he was forced to start from the pit-lane.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Die Hard left Karl’s escape from this predicament unexplained.
—Chris Klimek, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025
That’s the exact predicament Bianca faced in Wednesday’s episode when the Civa tribe was sent to Tribal Council for the very first time.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 27 Mar. 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 16 Apr. 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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