difficult

adjective
UK: /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
US: /ˈdɪfɪkʌlt/

  1. Not easy to do or understand; needing effort or skill.

    1. This test is very difficult for me. [ ] [ ]
    2. Finding a solution to this complex problem proved more difficult than anticipated. [ ] [ ]

  2. Causing problems; needing a lot of effort or skill to deal with.

    1. He is a very difficult child sometimes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The negotiations were difficult due to disagreements on key points. [ ] [ ]

  3. Not willing to cooperate or be helpful; causing trouble.

    1. My boss can be difficult sometimes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The witness proved to be difficult, refusing to answer important questions. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

hard challenging complex complicated awkward unruly
difficult adverb

  1. In a way that is not easy; with much effort or trouble.

    1. She breathed difficult after the race. [ ] [ ]
    2. He found it difficult to concentrate with all the noise around. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "difficult" in English means: Not easy to do or understand; needing effort or skill., Causing problems; needing a lot of effort or skill to deal with., Not willing to cooperate or be helpful; causing trouble..

The phonetic transcription of "difficult" is /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/ in British English and /ˈdɪfɪkʌlt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "difficult": hard, challenging, complex, complicated, awkward, unruly.

Example usage of "difficult": "This test is very difficult for me.". More examples on the page.