dilemmatic

Dilemmatic is an English adjective used to describe a situation, statement, or choice that resembles a dilemma. It characterizes conditions in which two or more options each carry drawbacks or trade-offs, making a clear, preferred course of action difficult to discern.

Origin and form: The word is derived from dilemma, with the adjectival suffix -atic forming “dilemmatic.” The noun dilemma itself traces to Greek dialéma, from di- “two” + lèma “premise, proposition.” The adjective is used across disciplines to signal complexity or moral tension rather than mere difficulty.

Usage: Dilemmatic is common in literary criticism, philosophy, ethics, and rhetoric, where a narrative or argument foregrounds competing imperatives. It can describe a real-world decision that pits conflicting values, or a rhetorical or policy frame that highlights tenuous trade-offs. The term often implies that resolution requires balancing competing demands, accepting ambiguity, or choosing among less-than-ideal outcomes.

Examples: The ending of the novel is dilemmatic, leaving characters with no clear right answer. The committee faced a dilemmatic choice between economic growth and environmental protection.

See also: dilemma, moral dilemma, ambivalence, trade-off.