Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
The state of being difficult, or hard to do.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An obstacle that hinders achievement of a goal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Synonyms: trouble
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Physical danger from the environment, especially with risk of drowning
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, in-plural, sometimes, uncountable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An objection.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
That which cannot be easily understood or believed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An awkward situation or quarrel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
an effort that is inconvenient
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: trouble
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: effort, elbow grease, exertion, travail, sweat
Narrower terms: the devil, tsuris
noun
the quality of being difficult
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: difficultness
Antonyms: ease
Broader terms: quality
Narrower terms: effortfulness, asperity, grimness, hardship, rigor, rigour, severity, severeness, rigorousness, rigourousness, hardness, ruggedness, formidability, toughness, burdensomeness, heaviness, onerousness, oppressiveness, subtlety, niceness, troublesomeness, inconvenience, worriment
noun
a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cognitive factor
Narrower terms: trouble, problem, facer, killer, kink, pisser, pitfall, booby trap, snorter, hindrance, hinderance, deterrent, impediment, balk, baulk, check, handicap, wrinkle
noun
a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: condition, status
Narrower terms: bitch, predicament, quandary, plight, rattrap, pinch, fix, hole, jam, mess, muddle, pickle, kettle of fish, hard time, rough sledding, stress, strain, mire, problem, job, situation, urinary hesitancy, wall
History
From Middle English difficulte, from Middle French and Anglo-Norman difficulte and their etymon Latin difficultas, from difficul, older form of difficilis (“hard to do, difficult”), from dis- + facilis (“easy”); see difficile and difficult. Equivalent to dis- + facile + -ty. Also analysable as difficult + -y, though the adjective is historically a backformation from the noun.
Across languages
137 source translations are retained for this English entry.
