First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
predicament
noun pre·dic·a·ment \pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt, 1 is usually ˈpre-di-kə-\
: a difficult or unpleasant situation
Full Definition of PREDICAMENT
1
: the character, status, or classification assigned by a predication; specifically : category 1
See predicament defined for English-language learners
See predicament defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Examples of PREDICAMENT
- 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
- [+]more
Origin of PREDICAMENT
Middle English, from Late Latin praedicamentum, from praedicare (see 2predicate)
PREDICAMENT Defined for Kids
predicament
noun pre·dic·a·ment \pri-ˈdi-kə-mənt\
Definition of PREDICAMENT for Kids
: a bad situation
Learn More About PREDICAMENT
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: predicamentalPrevious Word in the Dictionary: predicable All Words Near: predicament
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up predicament? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).