英语词汇辨析 同样是尴尬 embarrassment and predicament 区别

donzhtm

这里用哪个词汇更好：embarrassment and predicament
Unfortunately, their dire circumstances made finding a wife the most challenging ( ) they faced.

解答：

While both "embarrassment" and "predicament" refer to difficult or challenging situations, there are subtle differences in their usage and connotations.
"Embarrassment" typically implies a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness, often in a social context. For example, if someone is embarrassed, they might feel uneasy or awkward due to a social blunder or an uncomfortable situation.
"Predicament," on the other hand, refers to a difficult or unpleasant situation or condition. It is a broader term that encompasses various challenging circumstances, not necessarily tied to personal feelings of embarrassment. A predicament is more about being in a tough spot or facing a problem.
In the context you provided, using "predicament" might be more appropriate if you're emphasizing the challenging circumstances rather than the emotional aspect of embarrassment.

predicament
pre·dica·ment  / priˈdikəmənt /
noun
a difficult or unpleasant situation, especially six where it is difficult to know what to do
   尴尬的处境；困境；窘境
SYN   quandary:
   the club's financial predicament
   俱乐部的财政困境
   I'm in a terrible predicament.
   我的处境十分尴尬。

[搭配]ADJ.
awful, awkward, dire, worse
可怕的困境；尴尬的处境；悲惨的境况；更糟糕的处境:
Other companies are in an even worse predicament than ourselves.
其它公司的处境甚至比我们的更糟糕。

current, present
目前的困境

financial, personal
财政困境；个人窘况

[搭配]VERB + PREDICAMENT
be in, find yourself in, get into
处于困境； 陷入困境:
Many young people find themselves in this predicament.
许多年轻人都发现自己身处这一困境。

place sb in, put sb in
让某人陷入困境

escape (from), get out of
摆脱困境:
How were we to escape this awful predicament?
我们该如何摆脱这一可怕的困境？

solve
解决困境

[搭配]PREP.
in a/the ~
在困境中:
Now I really was in a dire predicament.
我现在确实处境很悲惨。