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
Synonyms
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
Much more difficult is to recreate aspects of the actual automotive machinery, which Jacob & Co. already accomplished in the watch created to go with Bugatti’s Chiron in 2020.
—
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 24 June 2024
In several cases, the cloned dog’s appeal appeared to lie partly in physical problems or a difficult start in life: the dog found as a mangy stray or rescued from a kill shelter or a bad breeder; the needy dog or the purebred with a non-ideal characteristic.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
But here’s where things have gotten really difficult for me.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 23 June 2024
More than three-quarters of young voters think raising a family will be more difficult.
—CBS News, 23 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for difficult 
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 24 June 2024
In several cases, the cloned dog’s appeal appeared to lie partly in physical problems or a difficult start in life: the dog found as a mangy stray or rescued from a kill shelter or a bad breeder; the needy dog or the purebred with a non-ideal characteristic.
—Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
But here’s where things have gotten really difficult for me.
—Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 23 June 2024
More than three-quarters of young voters think raising a family will be more difficult.
—CBS News, 23 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for difficult
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'difficult.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near difficult
Cite this Entry
“Difficult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/difficult. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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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