Dilemma or Catch-22

What is a dilemma? Dilemma is one of the rare words that is so specific that it denotes the precise meaning—at least the original definition does. Let’s take a look.

Many of the dictionaries did a good job of defining the true meaning of this, and most without waffling.

Vocabulary.com had a good explanation of “what is a dilemma,” but they usually do. Vocabulary.com presents clear, concise definitions in plain English, whereas many of the other dictionary options present definitions that often require a person look up one or two more words to understand what is meant.

Vocabulary.com

A dilemma is a tough choice. When you’re in a difficult situation and each option looks equally bad, you’re in a dilemma.

I would have preferred if Vocabulary.com had been more specific. They mentioned “each option,” but they didn’t specify that dilemma involved a choice between two options, not just a tough choice.

Dictionary.com’s definition (below) was a more accurate description of “what is a dilemma”

Dictionary.com

1. a situation requiring a choice between equally undesirable alternatives.
2. any difficult or perplexing situation or problem.

Dictionary.com started out with a good definition of what is a dilemma, but then they ruined it with their second entry. They should have stopped while they were ahead. Instead of answering what is a dilemma, they gave definitions for problems too.

WordWeb

state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options

OED (Oxford English Dictionary)

a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable

AHD (American Heritage Dictionary)

Logic an argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavorable alternatives.

And below are some synonyms from Chamber’s Thesaurus:

quandary, conflict, predicament, problem, vicious circle, difficulty, puzzle, embarrassment, mess, perplexity, plight, cleft stick, crise de conscience

If you look up the words listed as synonyms, they describe a difficult decision or situation, but they do not mention that a choice has to be made between equally unfavorable options. Look at the definition of quandary:

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation: “Kate was in a quandary”

Or this definition for predicament:

mess, difficulty, plight, quandary, muddle, mare’s nest; informal hole, fix, jam, pickle, scrape, bind, tight spot/corner, dilemma, can of worms.

In one of the thesauri I checked with, catch-22 was listed. The definitions for catch-22 come close, but don’t capture the need to make a choice. So how do you tell if something is a dilemma or a catch-22?  Let’s look:

OED

A dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.

Merriam-Webster

A problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule

Both of those definitions describe a problem where something is preventing them from solving the problem, but that differs from a dilemma in that a dilemma can be solved—often quite easily—but the solution comes with consequences (undesirable ones).

Some people often confuse the two, using catch-22 when dilemma should have been used and vice versa. A few examples follow:

A catch-22 may be explained by any of the following:

• A college grad who needs a job to live, but he can’t get a job because he doesn’t have any work experience.
• A young married couple who want to borrow money to buy property, but the bank’s policy is to only lend money to property owners.

If you have a problem telling a dilemma from a catch-22, read the following. A dilemma may be explained by the this way:

• A dilemma could be a person witnessing their best friend commit a crime. Now they have to make a choice, tell on them or be quiet. The dilemma part comes in because regardless of which choice they make, the outcome is not a good one. If they tell on the friend they betray a trust, and if the don’t tell, they break the law.

What is a Dilemma

Difference Between a Catch-22 and a Dilemma

A catch-22 differs from a dilemma in that a catch-22 involves a situation in which the policies, rules, or regulations stop a problem from being solved (as shown in the examples above and repeated below).

• Person A has no work experience but needs a job, but he can’t get a job unless he has work experience.
• Person B (or a couple) wants to buy property but have no money, but he/they can’t borrow money because they don’t own property.

With a dilemma, the problem can be solved (often easily solved), but a choice has to be made, and there are consequences (unfavorable ones) based on those choices. A classic example of a dilemma would be if there was a fire in your house, and you only had time to save one of your pets or kids. Which one will you save (choice)? No matter which choice you make, the consequence is not good—you can save one kid or one pet, but the other ones dies.

The choice is easy: go into one room or another. The consequences of that choice are frightening.

One more thing about dilemmas and catch-22 situations. I read an article in a major newspaper with a circulation of more than half a million people, and they had something listed as a catch-22 which was a clearly a dilemma. Below is the premise they presented (paraphrased).

A mother is in a situation where if she chooses to return to work, she’ll barely earn enough for child care, but if she stays home (doesn’t work), she’ll barely have enough money for rent.

The paper presented this as a catch-22 situation, but I don’t see it that way. Part of the definition of a catch-22 is that a catch-22 involves a situation in which the policies, rules, or regulations stop a problem from being solved. Nothing in the situation above is stopping the mother from getting a job—the choice is hers. There will be consequences depending on her choice, and regardless of her decision, the consequences will be unfavorable ones. So she has a choice to make, and she will have to deal with unfavorable consequences, both of which are clearly parts of a dilemma.

One way to distinguish a dilemma from a catch-22 is this:

• a dilemma involves a choice and unfavorable consequences regardless of the choice.
• a catch-22 involves being stifled by the policies or rules that, in effect, make the choice for you—you need property to build a house, but you can’t borrow money to buy property without owning property (no choice).

How the Meaning of Dilemma Is Changing

Dilemma is quickly taking on the meaning of “having to make a choice among two or more options,” but in many cases, those options don’t carry unfavorable consequences. Even worse, dilemma is often used to mean “any difficult problem.” That’s shown in Dictionary.com’s second definition:

any difficult or perplexing situation or problem.

If you look up dilemma and examine its etymology, you’ll get a clue as to how it should be used. Etymology Online lists it as:

1520s in rhetoric (see below), from Late Latin dilemma, from Greek dilemma “double proposition,” a technical term in rhetoric, from di- “two”

When a word begins with the prefix di– there’s a good chance it has something to do with two as in dichotomy, divide, and dialogue.

• A dialogue is a conversation between two or more people.
• To divide is to separate into different parts.
• Dichotomy is an idea split in two.

It’s much the same with the prefix uni-, which indicates one, as in unique, unite, and unicorn or the prefix tri-, which indicates three, as in tripod, triangle, or triplet.

The next time you’re tempted to say or write that you have a dilemma, make sure you really do.

USAGE: (Oxford English Dictionary)

At its core , a dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives . More informally , it can mean ‘a difficult situation or problem’ (as in *the insoluble dilemma of adolescence* ). Some traditionalists object to this weakened use , but it is recorded as early as the first part of the 17th century , and is now widespread and generally acceptable .

Usage Note: (American Heritage)

In its traditional use, dilemma refers to a situation in which a choice must be made between alternative courses of action or argument. The word is also used more loosely to mean “problem” or “predicament” without implying that a choice must be made. This usage has been criticized by language critics, and the Usage Panel still supports this view, but this support has been eroding over time.

In our 1999 survey, 58 percent of the Usage Panel rejected the sentence Historically, race has been the great dilemma of democracy. This is a significant decrease from the 74 percent that rejected a similar sentence in 1988. · It is sometimes claimed that because the di- in dilemma comes from a Greek prefix meaning “two,” the word should be used only when exactly two choices are involved.

In 2005, some 58 percent of the Panel reported that they followed this restriction in their own writing. The remaining 42 percent said that the word could acceptably be used for more than two choices. It seems unlikely that writers will be taken to task for ignoring the two-choice limit.

Bottom Line

Right now when someone mentions dilemma we know exactly what they’re talking about because no other word describes the situation as well. The way usage is evolving though, it may not be long before we will have to wonder a person’s exact meaning.

• Do they have a difficult problem?
• Are they caught in a catch-22 situation?
• Are they faced with a true dilemma?

Let’s keep dilemma or catch-22 meaning what they should mean. We’ll keep the traditional definition meaning a true dilemma. I’d rather not guess what someone means.

To learn more about misused words, check this out.

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Giacomo Giammatteo is the author of gritty crime dramas about murder, mystery, and family. And he also writes nonfiction books, including Simply Put: The Plain English Grammar Guide and the No Mistakes Careers series as well as other books on grammar, fantasy, publishing, writing, and children’s fiction and nonfiction.

When Giacomo isn’t writing, he’s helping his wife take care of the animals on their sanctuary. At last count, they had forty animals—seven dogs, one horse, six cats, and twenty-five pigs.

Oh, and one crazy—and very large—wild boar, who used to take walks with Giacomo every day.
He lives in Texas, where he and his wife have an animal sanctuary with forty loving “friends.”

Tags: editing, grammar, writing