1
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
the many difficulties that he encountered on the road from poor orphan to head of a major corporation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in complexity
something that makes a situation more complicated or difficult
there was a minor difficulty when we realized that the store had already closed
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in objection
a feeling or declaration of disapproval or dissent
the only difficulty I have with the dress is its color—does it come in anything besides purple?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in controversy
variance of opinion on a matter
the theologian's ongoing difficulties with the Vatican
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of difficulty
The Stand By Me actor candidly discussed the difficulty of being estranged from his parents and his impulse to share his achievements with parental figures in an interview with Michael Rosenbaum on the Inside of You podcast.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2025
But both McGuinness and his successor, Frank O’Farrell, seemed overawed by the size of the job, which, as well as trying to cover the post-Busby void, included the difficulties of handling Bobby Charlton’s decline and George Best’s off-pitch problems.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Athan Manuel, director of lands protection for the Sierra Club, said the recent layoffs and the decision to empower a DOGE official to make vast changes over the department is concerning, especially considering the difficulties national parks around the country were already experiencing.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Ars Video In the run-up to his single-segment completion, Coincident put together a series of strategy videos that highlight the difficulty of completing even the relatively easy opening sections of this brutal level.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 23 Apr. 2025
But both McGuinness and his successor, Frank O’Farrell, seemed overawed by the size of the job, which, as well as trying to cover the post-Busby void, included the difficulties of handling Bobby Charlton’s decline and George Best’s off-pitch problems.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Athan Manuel, director of lands protection for the Sierra Club, said the recent layoffs and the decision to empower a DOGE official to make vast changes over the department is concerning, especially considering the difficulties national parks around the country were already experiencing.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Ars Video In the run-up to his single-segment completion, Coincident put together a series of strategy videos that highlight the difficulty of completing even the relatively easy opening sections of this brutal level.
—ArsTechnica, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficulty
Noun
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Growing up in Florida as the son of Nicaraguan immigrants, Edgar Palacios saw the hardships his parents faced in pursuit of a better life for their family.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
12 Apr. 2025
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The lawsuit specifically cites City Schools’ hardship, pointing to the district’s need to cut other projects and programs to cover the budget gap.—
Racquel Bazos,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The platform removes complexity out of operations and provides visibility, automation, and clarity.—
Jennifer Pierce,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Fort Worth needs a Chief who understands the complexities of law enforcement and is dedicated to fostering safety, transparency, and trust citywide.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Provide 7 realistic objections or reasons for apathy that typical customers might have.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
-
There has never been an objection to describing this highly brutal, murderous conduct in words, nor did anyone object to this office when such crime scene images were recently shown on a Netflix documentary.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The sort-of antagonist in The Last of Us Part II first stirred up controversy when the game originally debuted in 2020.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Up next, a ubiquitous presence on television, unafraid of controversy, sounding off on everything from sports to pop culture to politics.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Things have reportedly gotten so bad that when Charles was hospitalized on March 27 related to complications from his treatment, Harry learned about it through the media.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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According to People, a spokesperson from the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on Wednesday (April 16) that the actress’s passing was ruled as natural, resulting from complications of diabetes mellitus.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The only exception is that when the three characters fall, the remaining two can be called as backup to help finish the fight.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2025
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The exception means employees can work remotely from anywhere in North Carolina, not solely within Mecklenburg County.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Book dispute is one of three religious rights cases The case is one of three religious rights cases the Supreme Court is deciding in the coming weeks, and appears likely to be part of a recent trend of the court siding with religious rights advocates.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, borrowers who have their loans in default should expect to receive an email in the next two weeks asking them to contact the Debt Resolution Group, which helps resolve disputes related to defaulted loans.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In an exhibit to HSM’s complaint, the marketing advance is detailed.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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The figure is only representative of information and complaints submitted by victims to the IC3, FBI officials confirmed.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Difficulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficulty. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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