needing skill or effort; hard to do or understand, not easy to deal with; causing problems

Formal and Informal Expressions of difficult

In different contexts, you can replace 'difficult' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'challenging, demanding' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'tough, hard' is a commonplace synonym.

difficult: Explore its Definition & Usage

difficult Definition

1needing skill or effort; hard to do or understand
2not easy to deal with; causing problems

Using difficult: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "difficult" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The exam was very difficult.
Example
It's difficult to learn a new language.
Example
She has a difficult personality.
Example
The company is facing difficult times.

difficult Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for difficult

Antonyms for difficult

Phrases with difficult

make things difficult
to cause problems or make something harder than it needs to be
Example
He always tries to make things difficult for me.
find it difficult
to have trouble doing something
Example
I find it difficult to wake up early in the morning.
difficult to come by
rare or hard to find
Example
Good customer service is difficult to come by these days.

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Summary: difficult in Brief

The term 'difficult' [ˈdɪfɪkəlt] refers to something that requires skill or effort, or is hard to do or understand. It can also describe someone who is not easy to deal with or causes problems. Examples include 'The exam was very difficult' and 'She has a difficult personality.' Phrases like 'make things difficult' and 'find it difficult' are common, as is the idiom 'difficult to come by,' meaning rare or hard to find.