difficult

Meaning

Adj

1. Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
2. (often) Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
3. (obsolete) Unable or unwilling.

Verb

To make difficult; to impede; to perplex.

Synonyms

hard

tough

arduous

troublesome

complicated

heavy

inconvenient

laborious

bad

👎

strong

serious

complex

awkward

severe

painful

expensive

💰

firm

not easy

puzzling

bothersome

burdensome

intricate

hopeless

trying

toilsome

unmanageable

stubborn

tricky

tedious

rough

labored

sticky

challenging

weighty

deep

𐐼𐐮𐑁𐐮𐐿𐐲𐑊𐐻

tight

thorny

stiff

steep

dreary

slow

profound

bitter

onerous

laboured

knotty

obstinate

disagreeable

important

Translations

difficile

difícil

difficile

schwierig

schwer

dur

moeilijk

difícil

lastig

zor

δύσκολος

difficilis

ardu

صعب

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɪfɪkəlt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: difficult

Cognate with Middle English: earveþ

Cognate with Old English: earfoþe

Cognate with German: Arbeit

In summary

From Middle English difficult (ca. 1400), a back-formation from difficulte (whence modern difficulty), from Old French difficulté, from Latin difficultas, from difficul, older form of difficilis (“hard to do, difficult”), from dis- + facilis (“easy”); see difficile. Replaced native Middle English earveþ (“difficult, hard”), from Old English earfoþe (“difficult, laborious, full of hardship”), cognate to German Arbeit (“work”).
The verb is from the adjective, partly after Middle French difficulter and its etymon Latin difficultō. Compare difficilitate, difficultate, and Italian difficoltare.

Sentences

But I found it difficult to get to work because of the investigations .

Judge Clark found this disagreement difficult to resolve .

Some days are good , somedays are difficult .

The mustelids , difficult to see are sparse in numbers even if they are certainly present .