difficult
Americanadjective
-
not easily or readily done; requiring much labor, skill, or planning to be performed successfully; hard.
a difficult job.
- Synonyms:
- arduous
- Antonyms:
- easy
-
hard to understand or solve.
a difficult problem.
- Antonyms:
- simple
-
hard to deal with or get on with.
a difficult pupil.
-
hard to please or satisfy.
a difficult employer.
- Synonyms:
- fussy, finical, particular
-
hard to persuade or induce; stubborn.
a difficult old man.
- Synonyms:
- uncompromising, obdurate
-
disadvantageous; trying; hampering.
The operation was performed under the most difficult conditions.
-
fraught with hardship, especially financial hardship.
We saw some difficult times during the depression years.
adjective
-
not easy to do; requiring effort
a difficult job
-
not easy to understand or solve; intricate
a difficult problem
-
hard to deal with; troublesome
a difficult child
-
not easily convinced, pleased, or satisfied
a difficult audience
-
full of hardships or trials
difficult times ahead
Related Words
See hard.
Other Word Forms
- difficultly adverb
- nondifficult adjective
- quasi-difficult adjective
- quasi-difficultly adverb
- superdifficult adjective
- superdifficultly adverb
- undifficult adjective
- undifficultly adverb
Etymology
Origin of difficult
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, back formation from difficulty ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The author of a viral post on Venezuela, relating from personal experience its difficult day-to-day conditions, admits he was shocked by how far his message spread.
From MarketWatch
“Everything became so difficult that she hid the basket away. I know she didn’t even want to look at it, let alone have anyone else see it.”
From Los Angeles Times
At each of the big crossroads in life, I chose the path that was more difficult but would have a greater impact.
From Los Angeles Times
“It’s going to be very difficult to buy up a whole block,” he said, “so I’m not as concerned about it.”
From Los Angeles Times
"Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Terry at this difficult time," Margate FC posted on X.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
