Another Word for Difficult: 18 Synonyms with Examples
“Difficult” means needing much effort or skill, or causing problems. Synonyms can stress effort, complexity or awkwardness.
As an adjective: needing much effort or skill
- hard
- challenging
- demanding
- tough
- arduous
- strenuous
- laborious
As an adjective: complicated or hard to understand
- complicated
- complex
- tricky
- puzzling
- intricate
- baffling
As an adjective: hard to deal with
- awkward
- uncooperative
- troublesome
- trying
- stubborn
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How they differ
Synonyms share a meaning, not always a tone. Here is when to pick each of the main options.
- challenging
- Difficult in a stimulating way; positive in tone.
- demanding
- Needs a lot of time, energy or skill.
- arduous
- Long and exhausting: an arduous journey.
- tricky
- Informal; difficult because it needs care or skill.
- awkward
- Hard to deal with, often socially uncomfortable.
Example sentences
- challenging: The course is challenging but rewarding.
- demanding: Nursing is a physically demanding job.
- arduous: The climb to the summit was arduous.
- tricky: Parking in the old town can be tricky.
- complex: The issue is more complex than it looks.
Opposite of difficult
More from WordNet
Less common or more specialised words WordNet lists for other senses of “difficult”. Check the meaning before you use one.
adjective: unmanageable
WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Used under the WordNet licence.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for “difficult”?
The most useful alternatives are “hard”, “challenging”, “demanding”, “tough”, “arduous”. For the main sense (needing much effort or skill), “hard” is usually the closest swap.
What is the difference between “challenging” and “demanding”?
challenging: Difficult in a stimulating way; positive in tone. demanding: Needs a lot of time, energy or skill.
What is the opposite of “difficult”?
Common antonyms are “easy”, “simple”, “straightforward”, “effortless”.