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difficult

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of difficult

1 requiring considerable physical or mental effort
  • difficult questions on the exam that required analytical thinking
Synonyms of difficult

arduous, Augean, backbreaking, challenging, demanding, effortful, exacting, formidable, grueling (or gruelling), hard, heavy, herculean, killer, laborious, moiling, murderous, rigorous, rough, rugged, severe, stiff, strenuous, sweaty, tall, testing, toilsome, tough, uphill
Words Related to difficult

abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, elusive, hairy, insoluble, intricate, involved, knotty, opaque, problematic (also problematical), recondite, serious, spiny, stubborn, thorny, ticklish, tricky

bruising, burdensome, exhausting, labored, onerous, oppressive, stressful, taxing, tight, trying

annoying, bothersome, distressing, irksome, troublesome, vexatious

grievous, grim, strict, stringent

brutal, cruel, inhuman, painful
Near Antonyms of difficult

achievable, clear, doable, elementary, manageable, uncomplicated

comforting, gentle, painless, relaxed, smooth, soothing

accessible, friendly, idiotproof, user-friendly
Antonyms of difficult

cheap, easy, effortless, facile, light, mindless, simple, soft, undemanding
2 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 of difficult

catchy, delicate, hairy, knotty, nasty, prickly, problematic (also problematical), sensitive, spiny, sticky, thorny, ticklish, touchy, tough, tricky
Words Related to difficult

abstract, abstruse, complex, complicated, hard, intricate, involved, recondite, serious

problem, troublesome, troublous, vexatious, vexing, worrisome

burdensome, demanding, exacting, importunate, inconvenient, onerous, oppressive, painful, stressful
Near Antonyms of difficult

easy, effortless, manageable, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated, undemanding

Synonym Discussion of 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

Learn More about difficult

  1. See words that rhyme with difficult Dictionary: Definition of difficult Spanish Central: Translation of difficult Nglish: Translation of difficult for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of difficult for Arabic speakers

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