predicament
/pɹɪˈdɪkəmənt/
Group 18Difficulty 1/3
Definition
- (noun)
- A difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation GRE
Example in Context
The company found itself in an impossible predicament: disclosure would invite lawsuits, but concealment would invite criminal prosecution.
Synonyms
tough spotdilemmabind
Etymology
A situation declared beforehand, often unpleasant or difficult.
- pre- (Latin) — before
- dicare (Latin) — to declare
Memory Aid
🤦♂️Sounds like “Pre-Dick-A-Ment”
In a PRE-DICK-A-MENT, you’re stuck wearing a silly hat everyone laughs at!
Visual Association
😬A person stuck in a tree, with their pants caught and everyone below laughing at their embarrassing predicament.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “predicament” mean on the GRE?
predicament (noun) means “A difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation”. The company found itself in an impossible predicament: disclosure would invite lawsuits, but concealment would invite criminal prosecution.
How to remember “predicament” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “predicament” sounds like “Pre-Dick-A-Ment”. In a PRE-DICK-A-MENT, you’re stuck wearing a silly hat everyone laughs at!
What are synonyms for “predicament”?
Common synonyms: tough spot, dilemma, bind.