Conundrum
/kəˈnʌndrəm/
nounC1
Definition
A conundrum is a puzzle or problem that is confusing and not easy to find an answer for. It often means a situation where you do not know what to do because the choices are difficult or unclear.
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See It in Action
A confusing or difficult problem or question
- •She faced a conundrum when choosing between two great job offers.
- •The detective was stuck with a conundrum that had no clear solution.
- •Deciding how to spend the limited money was a real conundrum for the family.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "conundrum" like "problem" (A1 word), but it is more tricky and confusing, not simple to fix
- ✓Picture a maze where you don’t know which way to go; you feel stuck and unsure what to choose
- ✓It’s the feeling when you have two hard choices and you don’t know which one is better or right
- ✓Sounds like "cone-UN-drum" → imagine a drum shaped like a cone that makes a strange, puzzling sound you can’t understand
- ✓Remember the famous riddle "What has keys but can’t open locks?" — a conundrum is like a tricky riddle that makes you think hard
- ✓NOT like "problem" that can be easy or hard — a conundrum is always confusing and puzzling
- ✓NOT like "question" that asks for information — a conundrum is a question or problem that is difficult to answer or solve
Try Other Words
- •Puzzle: a confusing or difficult question (Use when the problem feels like a game or riddle)
- •Dilemma: a choice between two difficult options (Use when the problem is about making a hard decision)
- •Mystery: something unknown or difficult to understand (Use when the problem is about not knowing information)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (unknown origin, possibly from Latin or English slang)
- •Etymology: The exact origin is unclear; first appeared in English in the late 16th century as a humorous or playful term for a riddle or puzzle
- •Historical development: Originally used to mean a riddle or a tricky question; over time, it came to mean any difficult problem
- •Modern usage: Used to describe any confusing or difficult problem, especially one that makes people think hard or feel puzzled
Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of situations in your life have felt like a conundrum? How did you try to solve them?
•How can thinking carefully and asking others help when you face a conundrum?
Fill in the blanks
1.She faced a conundrum because she had to choose ___ two very different jobs.
2.A conundrum often causes people to feel ___ because the answer is not clear.
3.Unlike a simple problem, a conundrum is ___ to solve and makes you think more.
4.When someone says "It’s a conundrum," they usually mean it is a ___ or confusing question.
5.People sometimes call a difficult choice a conundrum when they cannot decide ___ to do.
6.The detective’s conundrum was that the clues did not ___ together clearly.
7.To solve a conundrum, you often need to think ___ and consider many ideas.