difficult
difficult Lexical Profile
difficult Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Needing much effort, skill, or mental capacity to accomplish, comprehend, or resolve.
"Learning to play the violin requires years of practice because the instrument is notoriously difficult to master."
Full of hardship, distress, or trouble; hard to endure or deal with.
"The company navigated a difficult financial period by restructuring its operations and reducing overhead costs."
Not easy to please, satisfy, or get along with; uncooperative or stubborn (especially of a person or their behavior).
"The customer became increasingly difficult when told that the item could not be refunded without a receipt."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Entered Middle English as a back-formation from the noun 'difficulty', which was borrowed from Old French 'difficulte' and Latin 'difficultas', ultimately from 'difficilis' ('not easy'), formed from 'dis-' ('not') and 'facilis' ('easy').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.