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

But behind the momentum of his new venture was a far more difficult reality. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026

Following his wife’s detention and son’s death, Mendoza says the couple has made the difficult decision to return to Mexico with their three children and bring Kevin’s remains with them. —Susana Erazo, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026

The remote alpine town is perched 1,768 feet above sea level in the Engadin Valley, an isolated address that is both strikingly beautiful and inconveniently difficult to reach. —Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026

An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors. —Lauren David, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 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