difficulty

difficulty

noun

Definition of DIFFICULTY

1

something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal <the many difficulties that he encountered on the road from poor orphan to head of a major corporation>

Synonyms adversity, asperity, hardness, hardship, rigor

Related Words discomfort, inconvenience, nuisance; affliction, trial, tribulation; knock, misfortune, mishap, tragedy; bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, handicap, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, pons asinorum, rub, shackle, snag, stop, trammel; block, chain, deterrent, encumbrance, fetter, inhibition; hump

Near Antonyms advantage, break, opportunity

2

something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult <there was a minor difficulty when we realized that the store had already closed>

Synonyms complexity, complicacy, convolution, difficulty, intricacy

Related Words aftereffect, ramification, side effect (also side reaction); subtlety, technicality; annoyance, bitch, bother, headache, inconvenience, matter, trouble

3

a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent <the only difficulty I have with the dress is its color—does it come in anything besides purple?>

Synonyms challenge, complaint, demur, demurral, demurrer, difficulty, exception, expostulation, fuss, kick, protest, question, remonstrance, stink

Related Words compunction, doubt, misgiving, qualm, scruple; misunderstanding; cavil, niggle [chiefly British], quibble; argument, conflict, debate, dispute, dissent, hassle, quarrel, squabble, static; censure, criticism; defiance, disobedience, rebellion; distrust, distrustfulness, dubiety, dubitation [archaic], incertitude, indetermination, misdoubt, mistrust, mistrustfulness, reservation, skepticism, suspicion, uncertainty; qualmishness, unease, uneasiness; reluctance, unwillingness

Near Antonyms willingness; approval, sanction; acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, assent; compliance, obedience

4

variance of opinion on a matter <the theologian's ongoing difficulties with the Vatican>

Synonyms contestation, controversy, debate, difference, difficulty, disputation, dispute, dissension (also dissention), dissensus, firestorm, nonconcurrence

Related Words clash, collision, conflict, confliction, disaccord, discord, dissonance; apartness, divarication, division; combat, contention, strife, struggle; altercation, argument, bicker, falling-out, fight, kickup, misunderstanding, quarrel, set-to

Near Antonyms acceptance, compliance; concord, peace

Antonyms accord, agreement, consensus, harmony, unanimity