Definition of DIFFICULT

difficult

Meanings

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"
  • hard to control; ,
    • "a difficult child"

Adj

  • Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
  • Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
  • Unable or unwilling.

Verb

  • To make difficult; to impede; to perplex.

Origin / Etymology

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”).

Antonyms

easy, manageable

Scrabble Score: 18

difficult is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
difficult is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
difficult is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 21

difficult is a valid Words With Friends word