1
as in challenging
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
difficult questions on the exam that required analytical thinking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tough
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a difficult task
a difficult time
a difficult subject
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of difficult
Clematis wilt is a fungal infection that is difficult to treat.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Red Clay takes place in 2003 and will reportedly focus on a teenager named Nook who experiences a difficult upbringing due to his mother’s drug habits.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 2 May 2025
Sullivan said there are many reasons that make testing difficult including people living in more rural areas where testing is limited, costs or people preferring to test at home.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 May 2025
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Red Clay takes place in 2003 and will reportedly focus on a teenager named Nook who experiences a difficult upbringing due to his mother’s drug habits.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 2 May 2025
Sullivan said there are many reasons that make testing difficult including people living in more rural areas where testing is limited, costs or people preferring to test at home.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 May 2025
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficult
Adjective
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The star went on to touch upon the more challenging aspects of parenthood in the interview, too, revealing to Harper’s Bazaar that RZA initially struggled with the idea of welcoming a sibling but eventually came around to being a big brother.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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This is likely due to high interest rates and a challenging inflationary environment.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Published in English, Tehelka had a small circulation but an outsized reputation for tough investigations.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Jimmie Woods-Gray, a member of the city’s fire commission, said that cutting the Equity Bureau is a necessary step in a tough budget year.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Adjective
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The Trump administration – with Musk and his aides as the tip of the spear – have roiled the federal government with mass layoffs and demands for access to sensitive information at agencies including the Social Security Administration and the National Labor Relations Board.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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Let the paste sit for 30 minutes. Rinse away thoroughly and repeat if necessary. Method 4: For Acrylic Tubs Acrylic tubs require specific cleaners because of how sensitive the material is.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Every debt-relief product review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of debt-relief products.—
Dana Miranda,
CNBC,
29 Apr. 2025
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Taking the rigorous steps to join the community opens up a whole new world of possibilities.—
Alyssa Mercante,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This dynamic was itself problematic but was compounded when the 1997 Asian financial crisis led to a string of Malaysia’s biggest companies being bailed out by the state, creating conditions ripe for rent-seeking behavior.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
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Some of his primary opponents have argued his reliance on billionaire donors is problematic.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Tuesday is when teams stage their most demanding practice ahead of a Saturday match.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Apr. 2025
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Veterinary professionals work long hours in a physically demanding job.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Mike has fostered a collaborative environment with a team committed to building a formidable global business – innovating and trailblazing at every level.—
Billboard Staff,
Billboard,
28 Apr. 2025
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There are formidable breakfast burritos to be devoured all over Greater Los Angeles and Orange County.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficult. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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