problematic

1 of 2

adjective

prob·​lem·​at·​ic ˌprä-blə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce problematic (audio)
variants or less commonly problematical
ˌprä-blə-ˈma-ti-kəl How to pronounce problematic (audio)
Synonyms of problematicnext
1
a
: posing a problem : difficult to solve or decide
a problematic situation
b
: not definite or settled : uncertain
Their future remains problematic.
c
: open to question or debate : questionable
It is problematic whether … terrorist attacks and conflicts … will generate the national coherence that twentieth-century wars did.—Samuel P. Huntington
d
: having or showing attitudes (such as racial prejudice) or ideas (such as falsehoods) that are offensive, disturbing, or harmful
The page is monitored for trolling and members can report any problematic posts.—Nicole Morley
"We are bombarded with so much problematic content, from misinformation to hate speech," [Maria D. Molina] said.—Jonathan F. McVerry
[Philip] Nel said the decision to no longer publish titles that include racist caricatures showed just one way to address problematic material.—Edward Helmore
2
logic : expressing or supporting a possibility
a problematic proposition
problematically
ˌprä-blə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce problematic (audio)
adverb

problematic

2 of 2

noun

: something that is problematic : a problematic aspect or concern

Synonyms

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for problematic

doubtful, dubious, problematic, questionable mean not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something.

doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Examples of problematic in a Sentence

Adjective Rules of grammar are more problematic for non-native speakers. the problematic situation of somehow having two dates for the same party
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.
Adjective
Dismayed by tedious, mandatory and frequently counterproductive diversity, equity and inclusion seminars that treat white skin as almost inherently problematic? —Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 For those of us with seasonal allergies, pollen is especially problematic. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024 Every long-term injury is a concern, yet this one is even more problematic than most. —Tony East, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 There are steep learning curves for new users of AI, and models sometimes return false answers, which can be problematic in educational settings. —Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for problematic 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of problematic was in 1609

Dictionary Entries Near problematic

problem

problematic

problematist

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Problematic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/problematic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

problematic

adjective
prob·​lem·​at·​ic
ˌpräb-lə-ˈmat-ik
variants also problematical
-ˈmat-i-kəl
1
: difficult to solve or decide : puzzling
a problematic situation
2
: not settled : uncertain
their future is still problematic
3
: open to question
the evidence is problematic

More from Merriam-Webster on problematic

Nglish: Translation of problematic for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of problematic for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
turkey-looking-at-camera
Giving Thanks Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...