fiscal predicament

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fiscal predicament" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a difficult financial situation or challenge that an individual, organization, or government is facing. Example: "The company found itself in a fiscal predicament after the unexpected drop in sales, forcing it to make tough decisions about layoffs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

The Republican governor, saying he would not raise taxes to bail the state out of its fiscal predicament, presented a $90 billion budget with deep cuts to schools, state colleges, hospitals and health care programs.

The New York Times

The argument that these billions are too small to worry about is the same logic that got us into our current fiscal predicament.

The New York Times

"We can't grow our way out of it, and we can't tax our way out of it," he said of the government's fiscal predicament.

The New York Times

Rescuing Nassau from its current fiscal predicament and rebuilding its crumbling physical infrastructure requires someone with vision and proven political skills.

The New York Times

A month earlier, polls had found that voters were resistant to the idea of the state's borrowing its way out of its fiscal predicament; only a little over a third of voters favored Proposition 57.

The New Yorker

Only after we had done all that would we then sit down with a blank sheet of paper and say, "O.K., given our current fiscal predicament, where should we cut spending and where must we raise new tax revenues so that we can bring our government back to solvency and, at the same time, reinvigorate our formula for growth and success".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Without Dickens's eye and ear for extreme emotional and fiscal predicaments, the story's more fantastic moments wouldn't have the weight of truth.

The New Yorker

New York's governor, George Pataki, managed yesterday to seem upbeat about a state financial predicament that even he had to admit is a "fiscal crisis".

The New York Times

Ed Miliband blames the financial crash for the recession and Britain's fiscal predicament whenever he can.

The Economist

But in the case of Greece, there is also no doubt that serious fiscal irresponsibility combined with creative accounting ideas from Wall Street have severely aggravated the predicament.

The Guardian - Opinion

If we take President Obama at his word when he said Tuesday "it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we'll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament," some forensic accounting is in order as we evaluate our current fiscal and budget priorities.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "fiscal predicament" with specific details about the causes, such as "due to declining tax revenues" or "because of unexpected expenses", to provide clarity and context for your readers.

Common error

Avoid using "fiscal predicament" when describing situations of complete financial collapse. The term suggests a manageable problem, not an irreversible disaster. In dire situations, consider using terms like "financial ruin" or "economic collapse" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fiscal predicament" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a specific state or situation, referring to difficult financial circumstances. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fiscal predicament" is a useful term to describe a difficult financial situation, typically used in the context of government or organizational finances. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and shows that it appears primarily in news and media sources. When using this phrase, consider its formality and choose alternatives like "financial crisis" or "financial difficulty" depending on the severity and specific nature of the situation. The phrase is suitable for formal writing and public discourse, indicating a manageable problem rather than a complete disaster.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fiscal crisis

Directly equates to a crisis situation in financial management; it's a more intense version of "predicament".

financial difficulty

Replaces "predicament" with a more general term for trouble, focusing on the difficulty rather than the crisis aspect.

financial crisis

Indicates a more severe and widespread financial problem than a "predicament".

financial strain

Highlights the stress and burden caused by the financial issues.

budgetary shortfall

Focuses specifically on the deficit in a budget, rather than a general financial problem.

monetary dilemma

Replaces both words to provide a slightly more formal and abstract description of the problem.

economic hardship

Broadens the scope to include overall economic difficulties, not just governmental or organizational finances.

revenue shortfall

Specifies that the problem is a lack of incoming revenue, rather than overall mismanagement.

economic downturn

Points to a general decline in economic activity as the source of the financial issues.

economic woe

Uses a more evocative term ("woe") to describe economic problems, suggesting a sense of suffering.

FAQs

How can I use "fiscal predicament" in a sentence?

You can use "fiscal predicament" to describe a difficult financial situation, for example: "The state found itself in a "fiscal predicament" after the economic downturn."

What are some alternatives to "fiscal predicament"?

Alternatives include "financial difficulty", "budgetary shortfall", or "financial crisis", depending on the severity of the situation.

Is "fiscal predicament" a formal or informal term?

"Fiscal predicament" is generally considered a neutral to formal term, suitable for news reports, academic papers, and business communications.

What's the difference between "fiscal crisis" and "fiscal predicament"?

A "fiscal crisis" implies a more severe and immediate threat than a "fiscal predicament", which suggests a challenging but potentially manageable situation.