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 melodic lines, particularly for brass, are very difficult to navigate. —

Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 Trump’s reelection augurs two trends in U.S. foreign policy that will be difficult to reverse. —

Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024 High frequencies are more difficult to block out than other tones, as high-end noise-cancelling headphones from Apple, Bose, and Sony perform similarly. —

PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024 Digital devices offer connection, but pieces of the experience are missing, such as the joy of in-person contact and trust in others, which can be difficult to get online. —

Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for difficult