ADJ
acute, appalling, big, difficult, genuine, great, impossible, real, serious, terrible, thorny
central, essential, fundamental
The central dilemma is whether to prioritize work or spend more time with family.
familiar, perennial | human | personal | ethical, moral | policy, political
VERB + DILEMMA
create, pose
The new policy creates a real dilemma for many working parents.
be caught in, be faced with, confront, face, have
Sarah faced a difficult dilemma when she had to choose between accepting the job offer or staying close to her family.
resolve, solve
We finally solved the dilemma by asking our parents for their advice.
DILEMMA + VERB
arise, occur, present itself
A difficult dilemma arose when Sarah had to choose between accepting a job in another city or staying near her family.
lie
The real dilemma lies in choosing between staying in a secure job or pursuing your dreams.
confront sb, face sb
The parents faced a difficult dilemma when deciding whether to move abroad for work.
remain
PREP
in a/the ~
She found herself in a difficult dilemma when both job offers arrived on the same day.
~ about/over
He was in a real dilemma over which job to choose between the two offers.
~ between
She faced a difficult dilemma between accepting the job offer or staying close to her aging parents.
PHRASES
a solution to a dilemma, a way out of a dilemma
Finding a solution to her dilemma took several weeks of careful thought.