Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sophie's choice

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.71 in modern English

Syllables: so-phie's -choice
IPA

25

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A choice where every alternative has significant negative consequences.

Example Sentences

"As things turned out, all the enemy missiles were destroyed in flight -- two were hit very early after launch by an airborne laser system -- and a Sophie's choice was averted.""
"We've been given a Sophie's Choice,' said Senate Minority Leader Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton. 'We can improperly care for some children vs. improperly care for other children.'"

Etymology

From the title of the book Sophie's Choice (1979), by William Styron, in which a mother is forced to decide which of her children will die.

Inflected Forms

Sophie's choices (plural)

Phrases

Hobson's choice

Frequently Paired Words

Hobson's choice

Synonyms

Hobson's choice Catch-22 dilemma Morton's fork no-win situation quandary Sophie's choice ass in a sling bind bucket of syrup calvary cauldron

Questions

What does sophie's choice mean?: A choice where every alternative has significant negative consequences.
Where does sophie's choice come from?: From the title of the book Sophie's Choice (1979), by William Styron, in which a mother is forced to decide which of her children will die.

How to pronounce sophie's choice

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