# quandary

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkwɒn.də.ɹi/ · frequency rank #47,281

## Definitions
1. A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement.
2. A dilemma, a difficult decision or choice.

## Etymology
16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).

## Common misspellings (12)
`qaundary`, `qquandary`, `quadnary`, `quanadry`, `quandarry`, `quandaryy`, `quandayr`, `quanddary`, `quandray`, `quanndary`, `qunadary`, `uqandary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/quandary