difficult
adjective
dif·fi·cult
ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəlt 
1
: hard to do, make, or carry out : arduous
a difficult climb
2
a
: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome
a difficult child
having a difficult time coping with her death
b
: hard to understand : puzzling
difficult reading
found calculus too difficult
difficultly
adverb
Examples of difficult in a Sentence
We were asked lots of difficult questions.
I had to make a very difficult decision.
We'll be hiking over difficult terrain.
It's more difficult than it sounds.
I found myself in a difficult position.
Some difficult days lie ahead of us.
These changes will make life difficult for everyone involved.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Whitecaps won games in Mexico, which is difficult to do.
—
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Doing this even for planets within our solar system is difficult.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Since the group was in an area only accessible by foot or horseback, getting the injured to the nearest hospital was difficult, one witness told the Washington Post.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
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Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
The task for Denver tonight will be that much more difficult if Michael Porter Jr. (shoulder) is unavailable or limited.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Doing this even for planets within our solar system is difficult.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Since the group was in an area only accessible by foot or horseback, getting the injured to the nearest hospital was difficult, one witness told the Washington Post.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficult
Cite this Entry
“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/difficult. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
difficult
adjective
dif·fi·cult
ˈdif-i-(ˌ)kəlt
1
: hard to do, make, or carry out
a difficult climb
2
a
: hard to deal with, manage, or overcome
a difficult child
b
: hard to understand : puzzling
difficult reading
difficultly
adverb
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