different between quandary vs perplexing

English

Etymology

16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vandr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?kw?n.d?.?i/, /?kw?n.d?i/
• (Received Pronunciation, dated) IPA^(key): /kw?n?d??.??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?kw?n.d?.?i/, /?kw?n.d?i/, /?kw?n-/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /?kw?n.d?.?i/, /?kw?n.d?i/
• Hyphenation: quan?da?ry, quand?ary

Noun

quandary (plural quandaries)

1. A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement.

   Synonyms: perplexity, pickle, predicament, uncertainty
2. A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice.

   Synonyms: dilemma; see also Thesaurus:dilemma

   • 1995, Robert Frost, Collected Poems, Prose & Plays, page 475

     To quote the oracle of Delphi, / Love thou thy neighbor as thyself, aye, / And hate him as thyself thou hatest. / There quandary is at its greatest.

   • 1995, Douglas N. Walton & Erik C. W. Krabbe, Commitment in Dialogue: Basic Concepts of Interpersonal Reasoning, page 54

     But we may suppose that John has set his priorities in such a way that the quandary is spurious.

   • 2000, Carol Ann Strip & Gretchen Hirsch, Helping Gifted Children Soar, page 208

     What a difficult quandary for a bright, talented child!

   • 2004, Jennifer Traig, Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood, page 181

     Then I would begin contemplating the next quandary: "Does the Torah say it's okay to portray a hooker, and is a heart of gold a mitigating factor?"

Translations

See also

• doubt
• indecision
• dilemma

Further reading

• quandary at OneLook Dictionary Search

References

English

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: p?rpl?ks'?ng, IPA^(key): /p??pl?ks??/

Adjective

perplexing (comparative more perplexing, superlative most perplexing)

1. confusing or puzzling
2. bewildering

Translations

Verb

perplexing

1. present participle of perplex