1
as in hardship
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
2
as in complexity
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
3
as in objection
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
4
as in controversy
variance of opinion on a matter
the theologian's ongoing difficulties with the Vatican
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of difficulty
One reason is having difficulty passing a bowel movement due to constipation.
—
Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 18 Jan. 2025
Capping tournament entries naturally limits the number of ranking points teenagers can earn in a year, which also adds difficulty to breaking into the top 100.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
But for premature babies, infants younger than 6 months, and those with heart or lung issues, RSV can cause severe illnesses, including breathing difficulties, that require hospitalization.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 17 Jan. 2025
There’s always tensions, there’s always difficulties.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for difficulty 
Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 18 Jan. 2025
Capping tournament entries naturally limits the number of ranking points teenagers can earn in a year, which also adds difficulty to breaking into the top 100.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
But for premature babies, infants younger than 6 months, and those with heart or lung issues, RSV can cause severe illnesses, including breathing difficulties, that require hospitalization.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 17 Jan. 2025
There’s always tensions, there’s always difficulties.
—Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for difficulty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficulty
Noun
-
Volunteering or creating a nonprofit will help those around you who are going through hardship.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Jan. 2025
-
Dunnett said the event provides cancer patients and their families with a day to have fun and enjoy Great America, and to be around other families who are going through the same hardships.—
Isha Trivedi,
The Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
For many, the emotional toll of starting over—rebuilding trust, audience loyalty, and momentum—adds another layer of complexity.—
Cherie Brooke Luo,
Forbes,
14 Jan. 2025
-
And to add further complexity, President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn into office on Jan. 20 - just one day after the ban could be implemented.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
14 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The film has been criticized for trafficking in clichés and gender stereotypes, for equating transitioning with death, for presenting it as a kind of moral redemption, for making older cisgender audiences feel virtuous by endorsing it, among other objections.—
Julian Sancton,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Jan. 2025
-
And appeals courts have upheld the gag order over Trump’s First Amendment objections.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The controversy surrounding Emilia Perez comes in stark contrast to the positive reception of Wicked.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Whatever the controversy, these Thanksgiving stories will slake your appetite!—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In 2012, Cruz suffered a torn ACL that required surgery, but complications arose when his body rejected the replacement ligament from a cadaver, leaving him on the shelf for several additional months after having to undergo a second surgery.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
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Lifestyle complications include those related to sleep and physical activity.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Cohen is obviously fully on board with Stearns’ philosophy of limiting free agent deals to three years or fewer (the Soto contract of course being the notable exception).—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
18 Jan. 2025
-
With one exception … Level 9: The Deserter This is the owner who wants to move the team.—
Sean McIndoe,
The Athletic,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
City officials did not say what set off the dispute.—
Deon J. Hampton,
NBC News,
17 Jan. 2025
-
This firsthand legal dispute inspired her to become an advocate for female inventors, educating others on the importance of filing for IP protection. ForbesWomen: Get the ForbesWomen newsletter, and supercharge your mission with success stories, tips and more.—
Karin Eldor,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For its part, Walgreens has not filed a legal answer to the complaint yet, but did issue a short response denying any wrongdoing.—
Steve Weisman,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
At first, the school board reacted to the complaints by saying parents could have their children excused from the class when the new textbooks were being used or discussed.—
David G. Savage,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near difficulty
Cite this Entry
“Difficulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficulty. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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