moral dilemma (B2)
noun phrase
Pronunciation: /məˈræl dɪˈlɛmə/
Definition
A situation in which a person must make a difficult choice between two or more alternatives, neither of which is clearly right or wrong, and which may involve a conflict between personal values, moral principles, or loyalties.
Examples
The character in the novel was faced with a moral dilemma when she discovered that her best friend was cheating on her husband.
The company's CEO was confronted with a moral dilemma when he had to decide whether to lay off hundreds of employees or risk the company going bankrupt.
The soldier was torn by a moral dilemma when he was ordered to carry out a mission that went against his personal values.
How to Use moral dilemma
- face a moral dilemma (idiom)
- to be confronted with a difficult decision — "The doctor faced a moral dilemma when she had to choose between saving one patient or another."
- pose a moral dilemma (verb phrase)
- to present a situation that requires a difficult decision — "The situation posed a moral dilemma for the company's CEO, who had to decide whether to lay off hundreds of employees or risk the company going bankrupt."
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