difficult

adjective

ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəlt How to pronounce difficult (audio)
Definition of difficultnext
1
as in challenging
requiring considerable physical or mental effort difficult questions on the exam that required analytical thinking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tough
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling it's a difficult situation when two of your friends are quarreling and you're trying to stay out of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word difficult different from other adjectives like it?

The words arduous and hard are common synonyms of difficult. While all three words mean "demanding great exertion or effort," 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

When would arduous be a good substitute for difficult?

While in some cases nearly identical to difficult, arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.

the arduous task of rebuilding

When could hard be used to replace difficult?

In some situations, the words hard and difficult are roughly equivalent. However, hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.

farming is hard work

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of difficult Finding people at high risk of incubating the Bundibugyo virus — also known as contact tracing — has proved difficult in Congo. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 That means cutting spending or raising taxes — either of which will be difficult. — Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026 The past two weeks have been slightly more difficult to win, but nothing nail-biting. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Reopening an already shuttered institution could be much more difficult. — Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for difficult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficult
  1. challenging
  2. tough
  3. hard
  4. sensitive
  5. rigorous
  6. problematic
  7. demanding
  8. complicated
Adjective
  • Until now, scientists could measure the total phosphorus preserved in ancient rocks, but determining the share that was actually available to marine life remained challenging.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Alas, its path appears quite challenging, given that Digger earned a C+ CinemaScore from audiences and holds a 51 percent approval from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of challenging
Adjective
  • Now, Germino says her social media presence is all about giving other patients going through the same tough decision an example of someone who’s thriving after the procedure.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's administration is about to start tough budget negotiations against a backdrop of division and economic turmoil.
    — Chloe Taylor,Jenni Reid, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • That capability matters against some of the hardest targets facing modern air defenses.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Built along a verdant slope edging Bodrum’s Paradise Bay, this contemporary property offers hard-to-beat vistas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of hard
Adjective
  • Over the past decade, cyberattacks against the education sector have risen expeditiously, exposing sensitive data, temporarily disrupting school operations and affecting students' learning.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Deisseroth, a Stanford professor, helped adapt a light-sensitive protein discovered by Hegemann and Nagel into a way to control nerve cells in living mice.
    — Kostya Manenkov, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The list takes months to compile, with multiple steps and checks designed to ensure the ranking is rigorous and consistent.
    — Kelli Grant, CFP®,Riley de León, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • With rigorous reporting and more than 150 interviews with those working for the US’ most influential AI companies, technology journalist Roose covers Silicon Valley’s breakneck race to build artificial general intelligence.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of rigorous
Adjective
  • That can become especially problematic after retirement, when income may be more limited and unexpected expenses could otherwise push card balances higher.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There was a palpable sense of everything crumbling around you in terms of the culture, and even social interaction became problematic.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • The conductors who oversee the recording of the movie scores are portrayed as hyper-demanding corporate perfectionists.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Quantum computers could eventually solve very demanding computational problems much faster than regular computers.
    — Sophya Garashchuk, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • The book and series focus on the complicated romance of Canadian hockey prodigy Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian phenom Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), who are the fierce on-ice rivals and the league’s best players.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Another perspective may make the path feel much less complicated.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

differs (over)
difficult
difficulties
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Cite this Entry

“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficult. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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