Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

learning difficulties

British  

plural noun

  1. difficulty experienced in reaching the average standard of people of the same age group as regards intellectual and cognitive skills and performance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

This is now the standard umbrella term to cover both difficulties created by specific conditions, such as dyslexia, and by less than average intellectual skills

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.

See Examples For:

He later went on to work with children with learning difficulties, which shaped his education philosophy about prioritising individual differences.

From Barron's May 13, 2026

Sullivan said he was not provided with an appropriate adult to help him understand the interrogation, despite police custody records noting he had learning difficulties.

From BBC Mar. 27, 2026

DfE data also suggests that more than 10% of young people who are Neet have learning difficulties.

From BBC Nov. 28, 2025

Mr Baker had a rare genetic condition which caused severe learning difficulties, as well as epilepsy and difficulty swallowing.

From BBC Nov. 6, 2025

I’m meant to say that they have learning difficulties or that they have special needs.

From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training