difficulty
Americannoun
plural
difficulties-
the fact or condition of being difficult.
-
Often difficulties. an embarrassing situation, especially of financial affairs.
-
a trouble or struggle.
- Synonyms:
- problem
-
a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
-
a disagreement or dispute.
-
reluctance; unwillingness.
-
a demur; objection.
-
something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.
noun
-
the state or quality of being difficult
-
a task, problem, etc, that is hard to deal with
-
(often plural) a troublesome or embarrassing situation, esp a financial one
-
a dispute or disagreement
-
(often plural) an objection or obstacle
he always makes difficulties
-
a trouble or source of trouble; worry
-
lack of ease; awkwardness
he could run only with difficulty
Other Word Forms
- predifficulty noun
Etymology
Origin of difficulty
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English difficulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin difficultās, equivalent to difficil(is) difficile + -tās -ty 2
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.
Damage in this area can trigger tremors, unsteady motion, and difficulty controlling muscles.
From Science Daily
But, in a 2023 report, the association said that “fraudulent or bogus filings” were a widespread and persistent problem across the country, warning that they “can create serious financial difficulties for victims.”
From Los Angeles Times
In total, England have missed 17 chances of varying difficulty across the series.
From BBC
Emergency services said they were first alerted at 15:10 GMT on Friday to reports of a number of people in difficulty in the water.
From BBC
Applicants must be aged 16 or over, live in the Tandridge district and be in financial difficulty and struggling to meet the cost of essential items, the council said.
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.
