difficult

IPA/ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
KK[dˈɪfəkəlt]IPA/ˈdɪfɪkəlt/

difficult — adjective

  • difficultpositive
  • more difficultcomparative
  • most difficultsuperlative

1. needing a lot of physical or mental work, skill, or concentration to complete, u

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

needing a lot of physical or mental work, skill, or concentration to complete, understand, or deal with successfully — for example, a difficult exam that requires hours of study, or a difficult decision that has no perfect answer.

Example

Renata found the maths exam difficult because she had not done enough practice.

Learning to play the piano can be difficult, but Asher never gave up.

Common collocations
  • difficult task
  • difficult decision
  • difficult exam
  • difficult problem
  • difficult question
  • difficult choice
Synonyms
  • hard

    more common in everyday speech; means the same but less formal

  • challenging

    positive connotation; suggests interesting difficulty worth overcoming

  • tough

    informal; often implies physical effort or endurance

Antonyms
  • easy

    the direct opposite; requiring little effort

  • simple

    not complicated; easy to understand or do

Grammar Patterns

it + be + difficult + (for + noun) + to-infinitive

be + difficult + to-infinitive

difficult + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used in impersonal it-patterns: 'it is difficult (for someone) to do something'. The opposite of this sense is easy.

Common Mistakes

This problem is too difficult to solve it.
This problem is too difficult to solve.
In 'too...to' patterns, the object of the infinitive is not repeated as a pronoun after the verb.
I am difficult to understand this grammar.
It is difficult for me to understand this grammar.
Use an impersonal 'it' structure; 'difficult' describes the situation, not the person.

2. describes a person who is not willing to cooperate, is easily annoyed, or makes

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person who is not willing to cooperate, is easily annoyed, or makes interactions uncomfortable because of their attitude — for example, a customer who complains about everything, or a child who refuses to follow instructions.

Example

The new supervisor can be difficult to work with and often complains about small things.

be + difficult + to-infinitive (describing person's character)

Felix's three-year-old son becomes difficult when he is tired or hungry.

Common collocations
  • difficult child
  • difficult customer
  • difficult patient
  • difficult person
  • difficult teenager
Synonyms
  • awkward

    emphasises social discomfort or embarrassment caused by the person's behaviour

  • troublesome

    suggests the person causes repeated problems or worry

  • stubborn

    focuses specifically on unwillingness to change one's mind or actions

Antonyms
  • easy-going

    relaxed and not easily upset; the opposite of a difficult personality

  • cooperative

    willing to help and work together with others

Grammar Patterns

be + difficult (to work/deal with)

be + being + difficult (temporary behaviour)

be + difficult + about/with + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used in the continuous form 'be being difficult' to describe temporary uncooperative behaviour rather than a fixed personality trait. Subject is always a person or a group of people, never an object or task.

Common Mistakes

My boss is difficult with me to finish the report.
My boss is making it difficult for me to finish the report.
When describing an obstacle someone creates, use 'make it difficult for someone to [verb]', not 'difficult with someone to [verb]'.
The math problem is being difficult.
The math problem is difficult.
The continuous form 'be being difficult' is only used for people, not for tasks or objects.
Idioms

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Hard is the most common and neutral word for anything requiring effort: 'The test was hard.' Difficult (B1) is slightly more formal and often preferred in writing: 'This is a difficult situation.' Tough (B2) is more informal and implies physical or emotional endurance: 'The final match was tough.' Challenging (B2) carries a positive tone of interesting difficulty: 'She enjoys challenging projects.' Demanding (B2) suggests high standards and significant time or energy: 'His job is very demanding.' Use hard in casual conversation, difficult in formal writing, challenging when you want to sound encouraging, and tough when the situation tests your limits.

hard ↗tough ↗challenging ↗demanding ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • find it difficult (to)
  • make life difficult (for)
  • in a difficult position

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Difficult comes from Latin difficilis, meaning 'not easy' — from dis- ('not, apart') and facilis ('easy'). It reached English through Middle French difficile and replaced the Old English word earfoþe, which also meant 'hard' or 'difficult'.