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a difficult task
a formidable task
a daunting task
an enormous task
a difficult time
a hard time
a stressful time
a tough time
a troubled time
a difficult subject
an uncomfortable subject
a tricky subject
a delicate subject
a painful subject
a sensitive subject

Synonym Chooser

How is the word difficult different from other adjectives like it?

The words arduous and hard are common synonyms of difficult. While all three words mean "demanding great exertion or effort," 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

When would arduous be a good substitute for difficult?

While in some cases nearly identical to difficult, arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion.

the arduous task of rebuilding

When could hard be used to replace difficult?

In some situations, the words hard and difficult are roughly equivalent. However, hard implies the opposite of all that is easy.

farming is hard work

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 difficult Yuri is at once more straightforward and more difficult to talk about as an umbrella term. Vrai Kaiser, Them., 30 May 2025 And hegemony is difficult to maintain in the long run. Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 30 May 2025 The litigation in the case continues, but in the short term, many migrants will be left with difficult choices. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025 Dietary fat can be difficult to digest and may cause more irritation and pain. Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for difficult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficult
Adjective
  • In this one-man show, Whitfield steps onstage not just as a performer, but as a guide—challenging, inspiring, and activating the ABFF community to transform their pain into purpose.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
  • The new bill, advocates said, is also expected to be particularly challenging for Native Americans who rely on tribal cards for identification ‒ which typically don't include place of birth, as the new law requires.
    Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Buy Now: Flashlight on Bookshop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, V. E. Schwab (June 10) V. E. Schwab’s sapphic vampire romance begins in 16th century Spain with Maria, a tough young bride, looking to escape her wealthy husband.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
  • That’s really tough to stop from turning into scoring opportunities for the opponent.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.
    Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2023
  • Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • These searches help keep digital communications and sensitive information safe.
    Jeremiah Bartz, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
  • The lightweight formula is fragrance-free — ideal for sensitive skin — and doubles as a primer thanks to its matte finish.
    Madison Yauger, People.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Hall, a former college football player, is quite the athlete and also gives fans a look into his rigorous workout regimen, which Khaled joined him for.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 23 May 2025
  • The Bee has a rigorous policy relating to requests for anonymity.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Baltimore City Hall leaders acknowledged on Wednesday that squatting and social media networks potentially profiting from such activities are problematic.
    Gary Collins, Baltimore Sun, 23 May 2025
  • Some nutrients in sunflower seeds may be problematic if overconsumed.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Additionally, ensuring data accuracy and integrity within compliance features, especially for reporting and audit trails, can be technically demanding and prone to errors if not carefully managed.
    Suresh Kannan, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • That, plus more demanding processors, higher burst rates, and video modes, means mirrorless cameras get less battery life than DSLRs.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Each pits a young heroine of humble means against the formidable, possibly sinister lady of the estate; this time, that quintessential Nicole Kidman role is played by a serenely terrifying Julianne Moore.
    Judy Berman, Time, 22 May 2025
  • Selling a descent from stress into a state of devastation that can never be shed (only briefly reprised) is the formidable actress Parinaz Izadyar.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficult. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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