rough sledding

Difficult going ahead

Rough sledding is difficulty or hard going, from the image of a sled struggling over uneven terrain rather than gliding smoothly: It's been rough sledding since the layoffs.

The phrase typically describes a prolonged period of challenge rather than a single obstacle.

Also appears as hard sledding or tough sledding.

Related

tough stretch · bumpy ride · struggle · adversity · stormy seas · hard time · tough nut to crack · swimming upstream · challenge · battle · hardship · troublesome · hurdle · steep climb · hassle · roadblock · setback · hard row to hoe

Opposites
ease of progress

rough sleddingsmooth sailing

Untroubled progress forward

easy going · clear sailing · plain sailing · a breeze · a walk in the park

Family

rough, sledding, roughly, roughness, roughen, rougher, roughest, roughs, roughed

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G