die Zwickmühle, -n
predicament · dilemma
Eine Situation, in der man zwischen zwei schlechten Möglichkeiten wählen muss und keine davon gut ist.
The German word "Zwickmühle" is a noun meaning "dilemma" or "catch-22" — a situation in which a person is stuck between two equally unpleasant options.
It is composed of:
- Zwick: related to "zwicken," meaning to pinch or to nip.
- Mühle: means mill.
Together, it literally describes being "caught in the mill’s pinch."
Similar words:
- Dilemma (borrowed direct): a difficult decision between two problems.
- Druck: pressure.
- Klemme: jam or trap, similar but more general.
Difference:
"Zwickmühle" specifically implies being caught between two tight pressures (like a mill's pincers), emphasizing a no-win or tight situation, while "Klemme" is broader (a jam or sticky situation) and "Druck" refers more generally to pressure, not necessarily a decision conflict.
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Examples
Ich bin in einer Zwickmühle.noun
I am in a predicament.
Die langen Verhandlungen brachten die Gruppe in mehrere Zwickmühlen.noun
The long negotiations brought the group into several dilemmas.
Wie kann man diese Zwickmühle lösen, ohne jemanden zu benachteiligen?noun
How can this predicament be solved without disadvantaging anyone?
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