conundrum

noun

co·nun·drum kə-ˈnən-drəm How to pronounce conundrum (audio)

: an intricate and difficult problem

He is faced with the conundrum of trying to find a job without having experience.

: a question or problem having only a conjectural answer

… the political conundrums involved, particularly the problem of how the richer areas … can be made to subsidize the poorer.

Douglass Cater

: a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun (as in "Why didn't the lost hikers starve in the desert? Because of the sand which is there.")

Did you know?

The exact origin of conundrum isn't known with certainty. What is known is that the word has been in use since the early 1600s, and that it had various spellings, such as conimbrum, quonundrum, conuncrum, and quadundrum, before the current spelling was finally established sometime in the mid-17th century. One theory of origin suggests that the word was coined as a parody of Latin by students at Oxford University, where it appears to have enjoyed particular popularity in its "word play" or "pun" sense. While the prevalent sense in this century is that of the seemingly unanswerable question or problem, frequently applied to heady dilemmas involving ethics, sociology, or economics, the word is sometimes so loosely applied to anything enigmatic as to be synonymous with puzzle or mystery.

Example Sentences

… giving parents a wealth of educational options sometimes presents a familiar inner-city conundrum: What if all your choices are bad ones?

Katherine Boo, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2001 Mention of poor eyes and good eyes brings me to the creationist's favorite conundrum. What is the use of half an eye?

Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden, 1995 The explanation of this conundrum is to be heard, at this very moment, on certain surreptitious radio waves, on which the voice of the American convert Bilal is … transmuted into the thunderous speech of the Imam himself.

Salman Rushdie, Harper's, December 1988 the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today's knowledge and technology

Recent Examples on the Web The pizza roll conundrum is a microcosm of an issue that’s affecting the food industry more broadly.

New York Times, 31 Aug. 2022 But then, a food-holiday conundrum: Aug. 19 is National Hot and Spicy Food Day (not to be confused with International Hot & Spicy Food Day, which is Jan. 16.

Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2022 With Watt, Lenny encountered the conundrum that journalists, fact-checkers, and academics would reckon with in the years to come: Sometimes, debunking only reinforces beliefs.

Amanda J. Crawford, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 But those who let their whiskers grow while WFH, as a matter of idleness rather than observance, may be facing a conundrum, said Cassandra Sethi, a Los Angeles personal stylist.

Max Berlinger, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 The conundrum became painfully, distressingly clear: Wait to get sicker, or wait until the fetal heartbeat ceased.

Carrie Feibel, oregonlive, 7 Aug. 2022 The world needs to solve green hydrogen’s transportation conundrum—and fast.

Ian Mount, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2022 But as Trump puzzled over the conundrum at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club, there came a breakthrough—a minor detail that no one had hitherto noticed: Greitens and Schmitt have the same first name.

Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Aug. 2022 Healthcare attorney Susan Scheutzow summarized the legal conundrum.

Gretchen Cuda Kroen, cleveland, 28 July 2022 See More

单词	conundrums
释义	conundrum noun co·nun·drum kə-ˈnən-drəm 1 a : an intricate and difficult problem He is faced with the conundrum of trying to find a job without having experience. b : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer … the political conundrums involved, particularly the problem of how the richer areas … can be made to subsidize the poorer. Douglass Cater 2 : a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun (as in "Why didn't the lost hikers starve in the desert? Because of the sand which is there.") Did you know? The exact origin of conundrum isn't known with certainty. What is known is that the word has been in use since the early 1600s, and that it had various spellings, such as conimbrum, quonundrum, conuncrum, and quadundrum, before the current spelling was finally established sometime in the mid-17th century. One theory of origin suggests that the word was coined as a parody of Latin by students at Oxford University, where it appears to have enjoyed particular popularity in its "word play" or "pun" sense. While the prevalent sense in this century is that of the seemingly unanswerable question or problem, frequently applied to heady dilemmas involving ethics, sociology, or economics, the word is sometimes so loosely applied to anything enigmatic as to be synonymous with puzzle or mystery. Synonyms closed book enigma head-scratcher mystery mystification puzzle puzzlement riddle secret why See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … giving parents a wealth of educational options sometimes presents a familiar inner-city conundrum: What if all your choices are bad ones? Katherine Boo, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2001 Mention of poor eyes and good eyes brings me to the creationist's favorite conundrum. What is the use of half an eye? Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden, 1995 The explanation of this conundrum is to be heard, at this very moment, on certain surreptitious radio waves, on which the voice of the American convert Bilal is … transmuted into the thunderous speech of the Imam himself. Salman Rushdie, Harper's, December 1988 the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today's knowledge and technology Recent Examples on the Web The pizza roll conundrum is a microcosm of an issue that’s affecting the food industry more broadly. New York Times, 31 Aug. 2022 But then, a food-holiday conundrum: Aug. 19 is National Hot and Spicy Food Day (not to be confused with International Hot & Spicy Food Day, which is Jan. 16. Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2022 With Watt, Lenny encountered the conundrum that journalists, fact-checkers, and academics would reckon with in the years to come: Sometimes, debunking only reinforces beliefs. Amanda J. Crawford, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 But those who let their whiskers grow while WFH, as a matter of idleness rather than observance, may be facing a conundrum, said Cassandra Sethi, a Los Angeles personal stylist. Max Berlinger, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 The conundrum became painfully, distressingly clear: Wait to get sicker, or wait until the fetal heartbeat ceased. Carrie Feibel, oregonlive, 7 Aug. 2022 The world needs to solve green hydrogen’s transportation conundrum—and fast. Ian Mount, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2022 But as Trump puzzled over the conundrum at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club, there came a breakthrough—a minor detail that no one had hitherto noticed: Greitens and Schmitt have the same first name. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 2 Aug. 2022 Healthcare attorney Susan Scheutzow summarized the legal conundrum. Gretchen Cuda Kroen, cleveland, 28 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology origin unknown First Known Use 1645, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Kids Definition conundrum noun co·nun·drum kə-ˈnən-drəm : riddle entry 1 sense 1 conundrums noun plural of conundrum as in mysteries something hard to understand or explain the conundrum of how an ancient people were able to build such massive structures without the benefit of today's knowledge and technology Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance mysteries enigmas puzzles riddles puzzlements problems secrets challenges mystifications whys head-scratchers perplexities matters brainteasers closed books stumpers troubles posers cases knots
随便看	misguide misguided misguidedly misguidedness misguidednesses misguider misguiders misguides misguiding mishandle mishandled mishandles mishandling mishanter mishanters mishap mishapped mishapping mishaps Mishawaka mishear misheard mishearing mishears Mishima

conundrum

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

noun

noun