difficult

adjective

dif·​fi·​cult ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəlt 

1

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

a difficult climb

2

a

: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome

was in a difficult position

Why must you be so difficult?

having a difficult time coping with her death

b

: hard to understand : puzzling

difficult reading

found calculus too difficult

difficultly adverb

Synonyms of difficult

• challenging
• tough
• hard
• rigorous
• demanding
• formidable
• complicated

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

Kleinman said the exact number of copperheads in Connecticut is not known, as population counts are difficult to track, but that their population is declining due to habitat loss and development. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026

However, Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) is quite familiar with difficult schedules and the Cougars knocked off another titan Friday. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026

Victor Wembanyama buried one difficult jumper after another, capping a 37-point, 15-rebound performance that led the Spurs to a 115-108 victory in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series advantage. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026

Many are taking a more aggressive approach than Florida in identifying and banning suspect nurses, but the process can be difficult. —Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, probably back-formation from difficulte difficulty

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

difficult

adjective

dif·​fi·​cult ˈdif-i-(ˌ)kəlt 

1

: hard to do, make, or carry out

a difficult climb

2

a

: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome

a difficult child

b

: hard to understand : puzzling

difficult reading

difficultly adverb