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
Fatigue and low energy Eating too little can cause tiredness, weakness, and difficulty concentrating.
—
Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
Advocacy groups also expressed concern that certain beneficiaries — particularly older, disabled or rural residents — may have difficulty accessing the necessary in-person services.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Some families have had difficulty paying $9 for a dozen eggs at a time of continuing inflation.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2025
This suggests the difficulty in justifying ongoing support for Move may be rooted in the shift in motion controller technology used in the Quest 2 and Quest 3, alongside its limited popularity.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
Advocacy groups also expressed concern that certain beneficiaries — particularly older, disabled or rural residents — may have difficulty accessing the necessary in-person services.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Some families have had difficulty paying $9 for a dozen eggs at a time of continuing inflation.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2025
This suggests the difficulty in justifying ongoing support for Move may be rooted in the shift in motion controller technology used in the Quest 2 and Quest 3, alongside its limited popularity.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for difficulty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for difficulty
Noun
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Borrowers have already faced enough confusion and hardship.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
-
While there are arguments that business cycle fluctuations and downturns can carry silver linings for some individuals or economic outcomes, these events come at the cost of others’ pain and hardship, Schwandt said.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Adding to the complexity was that four of the five counts that were left standing involve violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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What People Are Saying President Han emphasized the complexity of fighting the fires due to weather conditions.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Schumer has received backlash since helping to avert a government shutdown by aiding the Republicans in passing their stopgap spending plan over the objection of the majority of his fellow Democratic Senators and House Democrats.—
Rebecca Schneid,
TIME,
23 Mar. 2025
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Home demolished During winter break at the University of Idaho, a demolition began of the home where the murders took place, over the objections of some of the victims' family members.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The movie, which premieres March 21, has had its fair share of controversies throughout the production process — from Disney's choice to cast Zegler as Snow White to the studio being criticized for perpetuating stereotypes about dwarfs to rumors that Zegler and Gal Gadot don't get along.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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Early reviews have been positive, but can the positive buzz help audiences digest the poison apple that is Disney's Snow White controversy?—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In her life off-screen, Moore struggled with complications from living with type 1 diabetes.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
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Conclusion Elegant failure and customer expectation management will become more important as the complexity, complication and interdependency of solutions rise.—
Agur Jõgi,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The California Department of Human Resources recently released statewide guidance on exceptions to the return-to-work order.—
William Melhado,
Sacramento Bee,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Today, economic uncertainty is a constant, not an exception.—
Scott Hutcheson,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The dispute came after President Donald Trump invoked a centuries-old law that would give him the ability to deport any noncitizen with little to no due process.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2025
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The White House is trying to have it every way possible in a high-stakes dispute over its speedy deportation of hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Myers told The Ranch Podcast that the decision to remove the poster wasn’t in response to any complaint.—
Rose Evans,
Idaho Statesman,
19 Mar. 2025
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According to the complaint, Henley organized a birthday party at Deja Vu for himself in December 2021.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Difficulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/difficulty. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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