quandary

kwon-DAIR-ee

meaning in plain English

Picture yourself at a crossroads with no sign pointing the way. That uneasy feeling of not knowing which choice to pick is a quandary.

A quandary is like standing at a fork with no sign—you just don’t know which road to take.

for example

I was in a real quandary about whether to accept the job in the city or stay close to my family.

A quandary feels like being stuck between two identical doors—you keep asking yourself which one to open, and the doubt hangs over you. It’s that stuck‑in‑the‑middle feeling that makes you pause.