difficult
Hard to accomplish
Difficult describes something that requires effort, skill, or struggle to accomplish.
A difficult exam challenges even prepared students; a difficult climb taxes experienced mountaineers.
Applied to people, difficult means hard to deal with—stubborn, demanding, or uncooperative: She can be difficult when she doesn't get her way.
A difficult situation offers no easy solutions.
Extremely tiring and demanding
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- laboriousRequiring considerable effort
- strenuousRequiring intense exertion
- backbreakingExtremely physically demanding
onerous · burdensome · taxing · punishing · grinding · tiring · toilsome · wearisome
Requiring great effort
- toughDurable and strong
- hardFirm or demanding
- testingExamining to evaluate
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
formidable · ambitious · stretching · exacting · rigorous · competitive · high-stakes · trial
Extremely harsh or strict
bleak · adverse · unfavorable · hostile · inhospitable · unforgiving · grueling · brutal
Elaborately detailed, many parts
- complicatedDifficult to understand
- convolutedExcessively complex or twisted
- elaborateComplex and detailed
- nuancedHaving fine distinctions
multifaceted · tangled · knotty · byzantine · labyrinthine · sophisticated · abstruse · recondite
Refusing to change course
- obstinateFirmly refusing to yield
- defiantOpenly resisting control
- contraryOpposed in nature
- unrulyDifficult to control
wayward · intractable · recalcitrant · willful · headstrong · troublesome · problematic · awkward
Causing mental confusion
- bafflingImpossible to understand
- bewilderingCausing utter confusion
- confusingCausing mental uncertainty
- mystifyingCausing complete confusion
enigmatic · cryptic · opaque · inscrutable · unfathomable · vexing · confounding · paradoxical
Difficult to handle
- awkwardLacking grace or ease
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
- thornyHaving sharp protrusions
ticklish · touchy · precarious · dicey · hairy · fraught · uncomfortable · embarrassing
Intensely irritating
- maddeningCausing extreme frustration
- infuriatingCausing extreme anger
- aggravatingCausing irritation or worsening
- vexingCausing mild torment
annoying · irritating · tiresome · trying · tedious · thankless · discouraging · disheartening
Barrier to leap over
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- roadblockObstruction across a road
- stumbling blockObstacle causing difficulty
hindrance · snag · bottleneck · setback · complication · handicap · encumbrance · constraint
grueling
Extremely tiring and demanding
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- laboriousRequiring considerable effort
- strenuousRequiring intense exertion
backbreaking · onerous · burdensome · taxing · punishing · grinding · tiring · toilsome · wearisome · uphill
demanding
Requiring great effort
daunting · formidable · ambitious · stretching · exacting · rigorous · competitive · high-stakes · trial · ordeal
severe
Extremely harsh or strict
dire · bleak · adverse · unfavorable · hostile · inhospitable · unforgiving · grueling · brutal · punishing
intricate
Elaborately detailed, many parts
- complicatedDifficult to understand
- convolutedExcessively complex or twisted
- elaborateComplex and detailed
nuanced · multifaceted · tangled · knotty · byzantine · labyrinthine · sophisticated · abstruse · recondite · arcane
stubborn
Refusing to change course
unruly · wayward · intractable · recalcitrant · willful · headstrong · troublesome · problematic · awkward · fractious
perplexing
Causing mental confusion
- bafflingImpossible to understand
- bewilderingCausing utter confusion
- confusingCausing mental uncertainty
mystifying · enigmatic · cryptic · opaque · inscrutable · unfathomable · vexing · confounding · paradoxical · elusive
tricky
Difficult to handle
thorny · ticklish · touchy · precarious · dicey · hairy · fraught · uncomfortable · embarrassing · compromising
exasperating
Intensely irritating
- maddeningCausing extreme frustration
- infuriatingCausing extreme anger
- aggravatingCausing irritation or worsening
vexing · annoying · irritating · tiresome · trying · tedious · thankless · discouraging · disheartening · dispiriting
hurdle
Barrier to leap over
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- roadblockObstruction across a road
stumbling block · hindrance · snag · bottleneck · setback · complication · handicap · encumbrance · constraint · limitation
- adjectivesbig, urgent, amazing, temporary, bold
- difficultyeasy, hard, medium, moderate, simple
- challengeschallenge, hard, challenging, tough, obstacle
- complexitycomplex, complicated, simple, intricate, easy
- problem adjectivesserious, severe, major, minor, critical
- Trail Ratingsgreen circle, blue square, black diamond, double black diamond, beginner
difficulteasy
Requiring minimal effort
effortless · simple · straightforward · painless · undemanding
difficulteasygoing
Relaxed in temperament
accommodating · easy · agreeable · cooperative · amenable
- technical difficultiesEquipment or system failures
- difficulty breathingImpaired respiration
- with difficultyIn a hard way
- technical difficultyEquipment malfunction disrupting proceedings
- difficulty levelsDegrees of challenge offered
- difficult pill to swallowUnpleasant truth requiring acceptance