difficulty

American  

[dif-i-kuhl-tee] / ˈdɪf ɪˌkʌl ti /

noun

• difficulties
  plural

1. the fact or condition of being difficult.

2. Often difficulties. an embarrassing situation, especially of financial affairs.

   Synonyms:

   strait, exigency, fix, plight, quandary, predicament, dilemma

3. a trouble or struggle.

   Synonyms:

   problem

4. a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.

5. a disagreement or dispute.

6. reluctance; unwillingness.

7. a demur; objection.

8. something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.

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difficulty British  

/ ˈdɪfɪkəltɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being difficult

2. a task, problem, etc, that is hard to deal with

3. (often plural) a troublesome or embarrassing situation, esp a financial one

4. a dispute or disagreement

5. (often plural) an objection or obstacle

   he always makes difficulties

6. a trouble or source of trouble; worry

7. lack of ease; awkwardness

   he could run only with difficulty

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• predifficulty
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• difficulties
  plural

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

Explanation

A difficulty is anything that gives you a hard or difficult time. If you eat a lot of chips and dip before dinner, you may have some difficulty finishing your meal. A difficulty is anything that causes problems. Forgetting an answer during a test could be a difficulty. A broken leg is a more painful difficulty. A poor economy is a difficulty, and losing your job is a more personal difficulty. A difficulty is also anything that’s not easy to do, like becoming a doctor or lifting a huge weight. Difficulties are generally serious or hard to overcome. If you’re having difficulty, you’re having troubles.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

difficulty difficulties

I used to be a mortgage-loan officer; I would get a couple that each made six figures, but would have difficulty qualifying them for a loan amount they wanted because of their consumer-debt load.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Some farmers reported difficulty getting hold of the vaccine this year as demand rose suddenly as cases were reported in England.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

“One new finding from this study is that the ability to overcome academic difficulty improves when there’s a strong future point of view,” Feuer says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

Many people can begin at home using body weight exercises, then gradually increase the difficulty as their strength improves.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Mostly they argued about the difficulty of the maze.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

There’s always moments of difficulties, conflicts or evolution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

On Sunday, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said his government is taking further steps to "address the difficulties faced by high school students and educational staff".

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Grip strength can also help predict who may develop frailty, which is a large risk for falling down and having difficulties with everyday activities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

That will weigh on household purchasing power "at a time when consumption is weakening and rising interest rates are exacerbating France's fiscal difficulties" they said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

She reported that she “fully understood the practical difficulties most women had to contend with...the chaotic conditions into which everything fell without her constant supervision, and the wearied, anxious look of the majority of women.”

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• anxiety
• complication
• crisis
• embarrassment
• frustration
• inconvenience
• misery
• predicament
• pressure
• setback
• stress
• strife
• struggle
• trouble
• worry