difficultynoun
uk/ˈdɪf.ɪ.kəl.ti/us/ˈdɪf.ə.kəl.t̬i/B1 [ U ] the fact of not being easy to do or understand:
We finished the job, but only with great difficulty.
The difficulty of the task excited them.
[ + -ing verb ] She had great difficulty finding a job.
UK People with asthma have difficulty in breathing.
B2 [ C ] a problem:
to have financial/personal difficulties
children with learning difficulties
People learning a new language often encounter some difficulties at first.
An unforeseen difficulty has arisen.
be in difficulties UK US be in difficulty
to have problems or be in a difficult situation:
A ship is in difficulties off the coast of Ireland.
More examples
- If you show the receipt, there ought not to be any difficulty getting your money back.
- Many people have difficulty in rebuilding their lives when they come out of prison.
- If you're in financial difficulty, we're happy to let you spread your payments over two years.
- "Did you have any difficulty finding the theatre?" "No, your directions were excellent."
- There are three levels of difficulty in this game: low, intermediate and high.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Difficult things and people
- a (heavy) cross to bear idiom
- a bitter pill (to swallow) idiom
- a hard/tough nut to crack idiom
- albatross
- bane
- chill
- equation
- handicap
- hiccup
- impediment
- job
- labyrinth
- liability
- life's a bitch (and then you die) idiom
- nut
- the chill wind of sth idiom
- the hard way idiom
- the sharp end
- thorn in your flesh/side idiom
- tie-up
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Difficult to understand
Experiencing difficulties