DIFFICULTIES Synonyms: 156 Similar and Opposite Words

difficulties

noun

plural of difficulty

as in hardships

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 & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in complications

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in objections

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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in controversies

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 difficulties In Scotland, Labor's difficulties were laid bare as John Swinney secured a decisive victory, dealing a further blow to Starmer’s authority. —

Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026 Since they were rescued, the children — who had motor difficulties and health issues; were sleeping in cribs and wearing diapers — have been in the care of child protective services and are receiving treatment from psychologists, El País reported. —

Adam England, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026 The center’s last several years have seen many unforeseen difficulties, Kostecki said. —

Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 The settlements come after years of fierce and expensive court battles, which highlighted the difficulties in interpreting a legal provision that was first enacted several years after it was written into law. —

Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026 Alarmed by growing difficulties for skyway-level residents, workers and shop owners, Kehmeier joined forces with fellow skyway denizens to launch Friends of the Skyway in January. —

Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026 While doctors and patients report difficulties getting certain doses of estrogen patches, the FDA has not yet included any on its list of drugs in shortage. —

Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 10 May 2026 Researchers around the world continue to face difficulties in managing millions of qubits reliably, leading many companies and laboratories to prioritize more achievable near-term applications using systems built with dozens or hundreds of qubits instead of massive large-scale architectures. —

Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 May 2026 But the takedown also highlights the difficulties survivors face in trying to remove exploitative material once it is uploaded and redistributed online. —

Kara Fox, CNN Money, 8 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficulties

Noun

That maximum was put in place to help borrowers avoid extreme financial hardships caused by the wage garnishment process.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Lower-income families and communities of color are disproportionately facing hardships and more likely to be facing imminent financial insecurity, including falling behind on bills or cutting back on food.

— James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026