difficult

adjective

dif·fi·cult ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəlt

Synonyms of difficult next

: hard to do, make, or carry out : arduous

a difficult climb

: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome

a difficult child

having a difficult time coping with her death

: hard to understand : puzzling

difficult reading

found calculus too difficult

difficultly adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for difficult

hard, difficult, arduous mean demanding great exertion or effort.

hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.

farming is hard work

difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage.

the difficult ascent of the mountain

arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.

the arduous task of rebuilding

Examples of difficult in a Sentence

We were asked lots of difficult questions. I had to make a very difficult decision. We'll be hiking over difficult terrain. It's more difficult than it sounds. I found myself in a difficult position. Some difficult days lie ahead of us. These changes will make life difficult for everyone involved.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The decomposition products of chloramines are difficult to isolate and identify, and this substance has proven particularly elusive. —

Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024 Antiaircraft fire kept the bombers so high, however, that aim was difficult to manage, and the bombs fell indiscriminately, destroying more than 4,300 homes while damaging three-quarters of the city's factories. —

Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024 Lack of work-life balance can make stressful job environments even more difficult to manage. —

Erik Pham, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 From arranging dining reservations and valet service to curating individualized itineraries that let guests experience the best of the destination, no request is too difficult to accomplish. —

Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for difficult