conundrum

noun

co·nun·drum | \ kə-ˈnən-drəm

Definition of conundrum

1a : 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.")

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about conundrum

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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.

Examples of conundrum in a Sentence

… 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

Statistically speaking, at least, Anderson’s 0-6 lifetime record and 6.86 ERA against the Yankees strongly indicated that choppy waters and an early bullpen conundrum lay ahead for Melvin on Friday afternoon. — Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, "‘Just throw it and hopefully they hit it at somebody’: Brett Anderson delivers ‘grindy’ start, finally beats the Yankees," 30 Aug. 2019 But the tight end position is very much unsettled, there is an interesting conundrum at quarterback, and injuries in the final two preseason games could change some plans. — Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, "Here’s one 53-man roster projection for the Patriots," 19 Aug. 2019 And in their failures, these projects expose a conundrum facing stories about female vengeance: Narratives about scorned women that try to double as examples of empowerment often edge into pandering territory. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, "The Cheap Thrills of The Kitchen and Why Women Kill," 19 Aug. 2019 Analysts worry that the current conundrum in the system - too many people; too little funding - is a deadly one. — Anchorage Daily News, "Dozens of inmates killed in Brazil prison riot, with at least 16 decapitated," 29 July 2019 Ryan Pandya saw an opportunity in this consumer conundrum. — Larissa Zimberoff, latimes.com, "Here comes lab-grown dairy: milk proteins made without animals," 11 July 2019 Why not export the philosophical conundrum to someone who spends his life pondering these kinds of questions: Fabien Cousteau. — Georgia Frances King, Quartz, "Are aquariums moral? It’s complicated, says Jacques Cousteau’s grandson," 16 Aug. 2019 South African researchers have solved this biological conundrum with a surprising tool: nanoparticles called quantum dots. — Scientific American, "Ballistic Maggots, Synthetic Winks and Why You’re Not Goop: This Week’s Best Science GIFs," 9 Aug. 2019 The exchanges address a central conundrum in today’s global marketplace: Even when business is booming, and politicians are on your side, the jobs keep going away. — Robert Abele, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Stéphane Brizé’s French drama ‘At War’ takes up the gritty cry of the working class," 2 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conundrum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for conundrum

conundrum

noun

English Language Learners Definition of conundrum

: a confusing or difficult problem

See the full definition for conundrum in the English Language Learners Dictionary

conundrum

noun

co·nun·drum | \ kə-ˈnən-drəm

Kids Definition of conundrum

: riddle entry 1 sense 1

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conundrum

Definition of conundrum

Synonyms for conundrum

Did You Know?

Examples of conundrum in a Sentence

First Known Use of conundrum

History and Etymology for conundrum

English Language Learners Definition of conundrum

Kids Definition of conundrum

conundrum

Definition of conundrum

Synonyms for conundrum

Did You Know?

Examples of conundrum in a Sentence

First Known Use of conundrum

History and Etymology for conundrum

English Language Learners Definition of conundrum

Kids Definition of conundrum

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