difficulty

noun

dif·​fi·​cul·​ty ˈdi-fi-(ˌ)kəl-tē How to pronounce difficulty (audio)
plural difficulties
Synonyms of difficultynext
1
: the quality or state of being hard to do, deal with, or understand : the quality or state of being difficult
underestimated the difficulty of the task
couldn't breathe without difficulty
has difficulty reading
climbs stairs with difficulty
2
: something that is not easy to do or deal with
had to overcome many difficulties in life
having financial difficulties
3
: controversy, disagreement
unable to resolve their difficulties
4
: objection
made no difficulty in granting the request

Synonyms of difficulty

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Examples of difficulty in a Sentence

She underestimated the difficulty of saving so much money. the many difficulties that he encountered on the road from poor orphan to head of a major corporation
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, there were signs of the difficulties clubs faced in concluding their business by 7pm. — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Specifically, desirable difficulties is a term used to describe learning that requires more effort and benefits long-term learning. — Cheryl Maguire, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026 Consumer Reports found noticeable differences in installation difficulty depending on the brand. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026 Clear expectations, visible measures and candid conversations help teams distinguish between temporary difficulty and a fundamentally flawed approach. — Jason Bork, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for difficulty

Word History

Etymology

Middle English difficulte, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French difficulté, borrowed from Latin difficultāt-, difficultās, from difficilis "hard to do, troublesome, intractable" (from dif-, probably assimilated form of dis- dis- + facilis "easy, accommodating") + -tāt-, -tās -ty — more at facile

Note: Latin difficultās presumably goes back to *dis-fakli-tāts and follows the same path as the base word, from *faklitāts to attested facultās (see faculty), with regular vowel weakening in a non-initial syllable. The word difficilis is derivationally peculiar, as the prefix dis- is regularly applied only to verbs and is not primarily privative—the expected negative counterpart to facilis should have been *infacilis. It has been hypothesized that dis- in this case is a permutation of *dus-, corresponding to Greek dys- "bad, ill" (see dys-; *dus- is otherwise unattested in Latin), or that difficilis is modeled on dissimilis "unlike" (see dissimilar; the adjective similis "like" takes a range of ordinarily verbal prefixes, perhaps following Greek equivalents). Neither solution is entirely satisfactory.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of difficulty was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing difficulty

Browse Nearby Words

difficultness
difficulty
diffidation
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Cite this Entry

“Difficulty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/difficulty. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

difficulty

noun
dif·​fi·​cul·​ty ˈdif-ə-(ˌ)kəl-tē How to pronounce difficulty (audio)
plural difficulties
1
: difficult nature
the difficulty of a task
2
: great effort
walked with difficulty
3
: something that is hard to do : obstacle
overcome difficulties
4
: a difficult or trying situation : trouble
in financial difficulties
5
: a disagreement in opinion
we ironed out our difficulties
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