as in dilemma
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
with both sets of in-laws insisting that we spend Thanksgiving with them, we were on a sticky wicket indeed
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Recent Examples of sticky wicket
To that, timestamps may prove a sticky wicket for a part of Baldoni’s argument against the Times.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
The other sticky wicket in the Paramount-Skydance merger is Trump’s current lawsuit against CBS News.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
That third spot is a sticky wicket for a team projected to be just outside the top five in the game.
—Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK published 18 September 2024
A cricketing powerhouse for decades, Pakistan's national team have suddenly found themselves on a sticky wicket.
—Harriet Marsden, theweek, 18 Sep. 2024
Much of its lexicon sounds both unapproachable and, well, just weird: sticky wicket, googly, yorker, jaffa, daisy cutter, silly mid off, maiden over, tickle, nurdle, trundler, paddle scoop, popping crease, golden duck.
—Chris Heath, The Atlantic, 25 July 2024
While reforms have been proposed in the past under other leaders, they have gotten caught up in a sticky wicket of state bureaucracy.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2024
The situation is a sticky wicket, to use an old-fashioned term from the sport of cricket, for the countless interest groups that depend on money from the budget.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 4 May 2024
In contrast, altering and editing an image can be a much more nuanced process that makes determining what part is from humans a sticky wicket.
—Drew McLellan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
The other sticky wicket in the Paramount-Skydance merger is Trump’s current lawsuit against CBS News.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
That third spot is a sticky wicket for a team projected to be just outside the top five in the game.
—Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK published 18 September 2024
A cricketing powerhouse for decades, Pakistan's national team have suddenly found themselves on a sticky wicket.
—Harriet Marsden, theweek, 18 Sep. 2024
Much of its lexicon sounds both unapproachable and, well, just weird: sticky wicket, googly, yorker, jaffa, daisy cutter, silly mid off, maiden over, tickle, nurdle, trundler, paddle scoop, popping crease, golden duck.
—Chris Heath, The Atlantic, 25 July 2024
While reforms have been proposed in the past under other leaders, they have gotten caught up in a sticky wicket of state bureaucracy.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2024
The situation is a sticky wicket, to use an old-fashioned term from the sport of cricket, for the countless interest groups that depend on money from the budget.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 4 May 2024
In contrast, altering and editing an image can be a much more nuanced process that makes determining what part is from humans a sticky wicket.
—Drew McLellan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sticky wicket
Noun
-
By the time France’s Nations League semi-final against Spain comes around in early June, Deschamps will have the usual array of squad composition and team selection dilemmas to contend with.—
Tom Williams,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
-
But in that time, her husband Mark (Adam Scott) also became severed in order to deal with mourning her loss, and his innie developed a relationship with Helly (Britt Lower) that creates the pivotal dilemma at the end of Season 2.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The uncertainty reflects the unique predicament for Senate Democrats.—
David Sivak,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Alec Baldwin suffers from a classic New York predicament.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Pittsburgh's popular pickle-prominent party is returning this year.—
Chrissy Suttles,
Axios,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Jon Hamm has found himself in quite the pickle.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Better yet, seal up holes in your house to prevent the mice from entering to begin with and store food in rodent proof (preferably glass or metal) containers.—
Judy Stone,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Audi can make your 2010s niche racing dreams come true, in other words, which is probably a better way to spend the money burning a hole in your pocket than buying yet another supercar that will sit in a garage to be admired.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Immigrant advocates say the new demand has put themselves – and their clients – in a bind.—
Henry Gass,
Christian Science Monitor,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Just like the first time, Democrats are expected to use amendment votes to put Republicans in a bind on a number of issues.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And a lot of times going after the rarest, most unique stuff sends you down rabbit holes of research and investigating.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Now on YouTube, the Andy Kaufman rabbit hole is deep and packed with pleasures.—
Jason Zinoman,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In fact, this is what drawing the swamp actually looks like.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
-
From the murky swamp to the kingdom of Duloc, Shrek has captured hearts with its wit, adventures and hilarious dialogue.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sticky wicket.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sticky%20wicket. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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