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
Harnessing that power, however, will be difficult amid the tumult.
—
Joe Guillen, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
Despite others’ input being essential for personal and professional growth, few of us are taught how to navigate difficult conversations effectively.
—Megan Bruneau, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Strayer said that introducing a species that has been long gone could be the equivalent of an invasive species, acting in ways difficult or impossible to predict.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
There are very big match-ups being played week in and week out in what is one of the most difficult leagues to play in on the planet, this means the big contenders will drop points more often than in some other leagues.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
Joe Guillen, Axios, 9 Apr. 2025
Despite others’ input being essential for personal and professional growth, few of us are taught how to navigate difficult conversations effectively.
—Megan Bruneau, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Strayer said that introducing a species that has been long gone could be the equivalent of an invasive species, acting in ways difficult or impossible to predict.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
There are very big match-ups being played week in and week out in what is one of the most difficult leagues to play in on the planet, this means the big contenders will drop points more often than in some other leagues.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficult
Adjective
-
Having a terminal diagnosis is challenging but also clarifying.—
Ashley M. Wilcox,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Assessing type A skills of collaboration solely from resumes can be challenging.—
Ming-Chien Chyu,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After some tough matchups in the Trader Joe’s Elite Sweets Tournament, one classic emerged as the champion.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2025
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That’s likely a tough pill to swallow for Gomez, who typically launches her albums at No. 1.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
4 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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In late March, four Taiwanese soldiers, three of whom were part of a unit that provides security for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, were jailed for up to seven years after being convicted of selling pictures of sensitive information to China.—
Eryk Michael Smith,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Cooling, calming, and tailor-made for sensitive skin, this mask drapes delicately across your face to deliver a serious hit of cica (Centella asiatica) and allantoin—soothing redness and dryness in minutes.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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That’s the cost of such rigorous theming: Since you’re supposed to be inside a game, anything that gets in the way of that illusion is banned.—
Todd Anderson,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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There are a variety of platforms that can support rigorous experimentation and analysis.—
Roli Saxena,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Building a Sustainable Future Compression of organizational hierarchies isn't inherently problematic, but the failure to address the human and operational needs that middle managers traditionally meet certainly is.—
Tracy Lawrence,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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This could be problematic when vitamin B12 deficiency persists, resulting in neurological damage.1 Vitamin B12 is more common in older adults.—
Jennifer Lefton, MS, RD/N, CNSC, FAND,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Here’s a brief comparison between top programs in the United States and the United Kingdom: • U.S. Programs (e.g., Wharton, Kellogg): These are typically two years long with frequent in-person sessions; these programs offer an immersive but demanding experience.—
Shai Zamanian,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Scene-stealing comedic parts in the Pitch Perfect franchise and on series like Modern Family led to more physically demanding opportunities in series like The Righteous Gemstones.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the great-power competition with the United States’ adversaries, none is more formidable than the Chinese Communist Party.—
Arthur Herman,
National Review,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Tyler Glasnow is formidable on the mound when healthy.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficult. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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