difficulty
Americannoun
plural
difficulties-
the fact or condition of being difficult.
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Often difficulties. an embarrassing situation, especially of financial affairs.
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a trouble or struggle.
- Synonyms:
- problem
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a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
-
a disagreement or dispute.
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reluctance; unwillingness.
-
a demur; objection.
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something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.
noun
-
the state or quality of being difficult
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a task, problem, etc, that is hard to deal with
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(often plural) a troublesome or embarrassing situation, esp a financial one
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a dispute or disagreement
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(often plural) an objection or obstacle
he always makes difficulties
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a trouble or source of trouble; worry
-
lack of ease; awkwardness
he could run only with difficulty
Other Word Forms
- predifficulty noun
Etymology
Origin of difficulty
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English difficulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin difficultās, equivalent to difficil(is) difficile + -tās -ty 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Entry-level work has long had its difficulties, but it’s in sharp focus now as AI increases its office presence.
From MarketWatch
A hillwalker died and two others were rescued after getting into difficulties on a mountain in Wester Ross last week, it has emerged.
From BBC
This week he helped two readers who had questions on how to help relatives suffering legal difficulties stemming from dementia:
From MarketWatch
The difficulty with assessing how far the latest escalation might go, stems in part from the lack of verified information available from either side.
From BBC
But she still has them, as well as autism and learning difficulties.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
