The 'di' of 'dilemma' derives from the Greek word for 'two', and the word, correctly used, refers to a difficult choice between two possible options/courses of action (hence the expression 'be on the horns of a dilemma'). A predicament, on the other hand, is simply any difficult or awkward situation.

Is predicament a dilemma?

As nouns the difference between dilemma and predicament

is that dilemma is a circumstance in which a choice must be made between two or more alternatives that seem equally undesirable while predicament is a definite class, state or condition.

What is the best synonym for predicament?