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
Relevance
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
During an interview on Thursday, Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo pressed Texas Representative Brandon Gill on the specifics of the GOP budget plan, highlighting the possible difficulties in making deep spending cuts without addressing major entitlement programs.
—
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Owner Alec Ward said the closing is due to a variety of reasons: difficulty competing with prices on custom dice made in China, the building’s deteriorating condition and rising crime in the area.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
After our initial difficulties, all the uncertainties started to dissipate when this song came together.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2025
If the firm backing the ETN has financial difficulties, the note might not be paid in full.
—Bob Carlson, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Owner Alec Ward said the closing is due to a variety of reasons: difficulty competing with prices on custom dice made in China, the building’s deteriorating condition and rising crime in the area.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
After our initial difficulties, all the uncertainties started to dissipate when this song came together.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2025
If the firm backing the ETN has financial difficulties, the note might not be paid in full.
—Bob Carlson, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficulty
Noun
-
Trump did not rule out the possibility of economic hardship, arguing that the economy and the U.S. population will have to adjust to the changes being made.—
Rebecca Schneid,
TIME,
9 Mar. 2025
-
One of the main indicators of the increasing hardship was the price of eggs, which hit an all-time high shortly after Trump's inauguration in January.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
These proposals could have far-reaching implications for individuals and businesses navigating the complexities of the U.S. tax system.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Instead of presenting the complexity of Israeli reality, the filmmakers chose to amplify narratives that distort Israel’s image vis-à-vis international audiences.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Multiple speakers were also allowed to accuse Israel of carrying out a genocide, also with no objection from Lauber.—
Rachel Wolf,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
His nomination to become the nation’s 26th Health and Human Services Secretary was met with considerable objection from the medical community.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
No controversies, no real debates over it being overrated.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
-
The estate, at the edge of Chico State’s campus, served as a cultural touchstone and educational space for generations of Chico residents, but not without controversy.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacramento Bee,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This only adds to the complications for millennials and Gen Z, Bob Driscoll Senior Vice President and Director of Residential Lending at Rockland Trust, said.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
-
During and after treatment, your healthcare team will monitor you closely for potential complications and related conditions, such as:18 Endometrial cancer: People who receive the drug Nolvadex (tamoxifen) for breast cancer have a higher rate of developing endometrial cancer.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But each time the tariffs were slated to take effect, calls with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum kept the tariffs at bay — or provided exceptions for crucial cross-border industries, such as a one-month delay on tariffs for auto manufacturers.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The main exception in the worldwide data is Israel, which has higher-than-average birth rates and has been subsidizing IVF since the early 1980s.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The incident comes roughly three months after workplace dispute led to a shooting at a Texas USPS distribution facility that left one worker dead.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
5 Mar. 2025
-
The dispute about the FEMA funds comes as the Trump administration is considering reshaping or abolishing FEMA.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Carpenter said complaints could have already fallen off the calendar because of the delay in hiring a director.—
Destiny Torres,
Orange County Register,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Their legal complaints argue that patients were misled about the accuracy and utility of PGT-A, cheating them out of time, money, and even dreams of having families, since some people have discarded embryos based on the test results.—
Jamie Ducharme,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Difficulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficulty. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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