Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Conundrum
Co-nun′drum
,Noun.
[Origin unknown.]
1.
A kind of riddle based upon some fanciful or fantastic resemblance between things quite unlike; a puzzling question, of which the answer is or involves a pun.
Or pun ambiguous, or
conundrum
quaint. J. Philips.
2.
A question to which only a conjectural answer can be made.
Do you think life is long enough to let me speculate on
conundrums
like that? W. Black.
Webster 1828 Edition
Conundrum
CONUNDRUM
,Noun.
Definition 2024
conundrum
conundrum
English
Noun
conundrum (plural conundrums or conundra)
- A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
- 1816, Jane Austen, Emma, Vol. 1, Ch. 2
- “Why should I understand that, or anything else?” asked the girl. “Don’t bother my head by asking conundrums, I beg of you. Just let me discover myself in my own way.”
- 1816, Jane Austen, Emma, Vol. 1, Ch. 2
- A difficult choice or decision that must be made.
- 2004, Martha Stewart, statement read before being sentenced to five months in prison
- And while I am more concerned about the well-being of others than for myself, more hurt for them and for their losses than for my own, more worried for their futures than for the future of Martha Stewart the person, you are faced with a conundrum, a problem of monumental, to me, proportions.
- 2004, Martha Stewart, statement read before being sentenced to five months in prison
Quotations
- For usage examples of this term, see Citations:conundrum.
Synonyms
- (difficult question): brain-teaser, enigma, puzzle, riddle
- (difficult choice): dilemma
Translations
difficult question or riddle
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difficult choice or decision