difficult

If something is difficult, it requires physical effort or brain power to complete, like climbing Mount Everest, a difficult journey.

Difficult has Latin parts: dis meaning "not, un" and facilis meaning "easy." So, something that is difficult is not easy, like marathon running. Difficult can also be used to describe a situation or person that is hard to control. For example, if you babysit a difficult child, he or she might run away from you and not obey you. And you might have a difficult time agreeing to watch that child again.

Definitions of difficult
  1. adjective
    not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
    “a difficult task”
    “nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access”
    “difficult times”
    synonyms: hard
    demanding
    requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill
    ambitious, challenging
    requiring full use of your abilities or resources
    arduous
    difficult to accomplish; demanding considerable mental effort and skill
    awkward, embarrassing, sticky, unenviable
    hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
    baffling, elusive, knotty, problematic, problematical, tough
    making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve or believe
    catchy, tricky
    having concealed difficulty
    delicate, ticklish, touchy
    difficult to handle; requiring great tact
    fractious
    unpredictably difficult in operation; likely to be troublesome
    hard-fought
    requiring great effort
    herculean
    extremely difficult; requiring the strength of a Hercules
    nasty, tight
    exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent
    rocky, rough
    full of hardship or trials
    rugged, tough
    very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution
    serious
    requiring effort or concentration; complex and not easy to answer or solve
    tall
    impressively difficult
    thorny
    bristling with perplexities
    troublesome
    difficult to deal with
    trying
    hard to endure
    vexed
    causing difficulty in finding an answer or solution; much disputed
    effortful
    requiring great physical effort
    hard
    dispassionate
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    Antonyms:
    easy
    posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
    undemanding
    requiring little if any patience or effort or skill
    casual, effortless
    not showing effort or strain
    clean
    without difficulties or problems
    cushy, easygoing, soft
    not burdensome or demanding; borne or done easily and without hardship
    elementary, simple, uncomplicated, unproblematic
    easy and not involved or complicated
    hands-down
    achieved without great effort
    painless
    requiring little hard work or exertion
    simplified
    made easy or uncomplicated
    smooth
    lacking obstructions or difficulties
    user-friendly
    easy to use
    effortless
    requiring or apparently requiring no effort
    soft
    compassionate and kind; conciliatory
    simple
    having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
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  2. adjective
    hard to control
    “"a difficult child", "an unmanageable situation”
    synonyms: unmanageable
    defiant, noncompliant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    indocile, uncontrollable, ungovernable, unruly
    of persons
    uncheckable
    incapable of being checked or restrained
    disobedient
    not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority
    intractable
    not tractable; difficult to manage or mold
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    Antonyms:
    manageable
    capable of being managed or controlled
    compliant
    disposed or willing to comply
    administrable
    capable of being administered or managed
    controllable, governable
    capable of being controlled
    directed
    manageable by a supervising agent
    dirigible, steerable
    capable of being steered or directed
    obedient
    dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
    manipulable, tractable
    easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
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