difficulty

[ dif-i-kuhl-tee ]

noun

, plural dif·fi·cul·ties.

1. the fact or condition of being difficult.
2. Often difficulties. an embarrassing situation, especially of financial affairs.

   Synonyms: strait, exigency, fix, plight, quandary, predicament, dilemma

3. a trouble or struggle.

   Synonyms: problem

4. a cause of trouble, struggle, or embarrassment.
5. a disagreement or dispute.
6. reluctance; unwillingness.
7. a demur; objection.
8. something that is hard to do, understand, or surmount; an impediment or obstacle.

difficulty

/ ˈdɪfɪkəltɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being difficult
2. a task, problem, etc, that is hard to deal with
3. often plural a troublesome or embarrassing situation, esp a financial one
4. a dispute or disagreement
5. often plural an objection or obstacle

   he always makes difficulties

6. a trouble or source of trouble; worry
7. lack of ease; awkwardness

   he could run only with difficulty

Other Words From

• pre·dif·fi·cul·ty noun plural predifficulties

Word History and Origins

Origin of difficulty¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English difficulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin difficultās, equivalent to difficil(is) difficile + -tās -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of difficulty¹

C14: from Latin difficultās, from difficilis difficult, from dis- not + facilis easy, facile

Example Sentences

One difficulty stopping the boats is that it is legal to carry inflatables across Europe; they might be used for a fishing trip.

From BBC

Ofgem said the £14.5m total payment is "in recognition of the impact on its customers, many of which may have faced financial difficulty".

From BBC

"There needs to be a wider network of services in place to support families when such difficulties arise and enable children to quickly return to the classroom."

From BBC

The most common problems include chronic headaches, difficulty swallowing and decreased muscle strength, as well as syringomyelia, a condition that occurs when a cyst forms in the spinal cord.

From Science Daily

Children experiencing underlying issues, such as anxiety, trauma, or learning challenges, may have more difficulty managing anger, Clark says.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• anxiety
• complication
• crisis
• embarrassment
• frustration
• inconvenience
• misery
• predicament
• pressure
• setback
• stress
• strife
• struggle
• trouble
• worry