Another Way to Say Easy or Difficult
There are other words for difficult that you need to know. These alternative words will help you boost your vocabulary, particularly if you want to upgrade your English level.
Hi, there this is Harry and I want to talk to you today about the word difficult. D I F F I C U L T. Let's learn how and when we use the word 'difficult' and what does it mean.
Words to use instead of difficult
Harry
Harry is a native English teacher with over 10 years of experience both online and in face-to-face lessons. With his extensive experience in business, he specialises in Business English lessons but happily teaches ESL students with any English learning needs.
Other Words for Difficult
Of course, it's not such a difficult word to explain and we use it a lot when we have a problem with homework when we have a problem with our sports activities or relationships so it's a common word and in that use.
But with English and particularly when I'm teaching English, I like my students to understand alternative options, synonyms that they can use so they don't have to repeat the same word over and over again.
And, of course, if you're studying English seriously and you want to take some exams (FCE, IELTS) then a broader and wider vocabulary is absolutely essential.
Particularly for the spoken and written parts of those exams.
Intermediate to Advanced English Marathon
INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Even if you're going on to higher-level English and you want to do some perhaps creative writing.
Well, then you know vast an increased range of words is really really important.
So as I said, difficult is a word we use when we have a problem.
My work is difficult because my boss keeps asking me to do more and more.
My social life is difficult because I don't have a girlfriend.
My sports life is difficult because I'm not fit and I can't get on the football team.
Okay. So we can use the word difficult difficult difficult.
Here are some alternatives that you might like to consider instead of difficult:
TOUGH
HARD
FORMIDABLE
AWKWARD(I'll come back to that. A little bit of a question about whether we should or we shouldn't use it)
CHALLENGING
ONEROUS
ARDUOUS
13 Other Words to Say Difficult in English
So there you have a lot of alternatives that you can use.
Some of them directly can be substituted, others you just have to be careful in the circumstances in which you use them. So let me give you some examples.
tough
The exam was really tough.
There were some tough questions in the quiz.
Tough is directly substituted or substitutional for the word difficult.
My exam was very difficult. My exam question number 2 was difficult.
Question number 2 was tough.
So they can substitute those directly for each other.
hard
Another word that we can substitute directly.
My exam was difficult.
My exam was hard. Question number 2 was very hard.
Okay. So exactly the same meaning here as tough and exactly the same meaning as difficult.
13 Other Words to Say Difficult in English
demanding
While demanding can have a few different meanings and we can say something is difficult it's demanding but when it's not impossible.
The work he has to do these days is quite demanding because he recently got promoted and therefore there's more expected of him.
Married life can be quite demanding. Pressures of relationships, buying a home, repaying the mortgage, having children these are all aspects of married life that are quite demanding.
And again we could use the word difficult.
formidable
Here this could have the same meaning as difficult but has a slightly different context.
The opponents that we are playing on Saturday are quite a formidable team. They haven't been beaten all season so we're really going to have our work cut out (meaning: it's going to be difficult) if we're going to get anything out of the game. If we are going to beat them.
So this opposition is quiteformidable.
His opponent in the boxing match was the most formidable person he has fought to date. This person has never been defeated and he is really strong. He's really well-built, he is extremely fit and it would be quite an achievement to win that fight.
So this opponent is quite formidable.
We could say difficult but difficult wouldn't quite give you the same meaning whereas formidable gives you more expression that he's tough, he's strong, he's fit and you know it's going to be quite an achievement to succeed.
13 Other Words to Say Difficult in English
challenging
Competition can be challenging.
A question can be challenging.
Any particular activity that we find a little difficult can be challenging.
Completing a marathon run can be challenging if you've never run the distance before.
awkward
I mentioned in the introduction of the video the word awkward.
I wouldn't be inclined to use awkward as difficult. It can be used but it has many other meanings as well, so I wouldn't use it as an option for difficult.
Awkward means you are not quite comfortable with something. Something is not necessarily difficult but it is uncomfortable.
onerous
arduous
Meaning: extremely difficult, something that requires a lot of effort
The words onerous and arduous are a little bit more of a higher-level English and so you can practice these. These are again the good words to substitute for difficult.
The task that they set them was very onerous, it took many hours to complete it.
The walk up the hill wasn't really a walk, it was a trek and it was very arduous.
Augean
An Augean task is an extremely difficult task that is impossible to complete.
Sarah was faced with the Augean task of cleaning up the communal kitchen after a party.
gruelling
Meaning: very difficult, something that is very tiring and requires a lot of continuous effort
Cycling up that hill was gruelling but I've dreamt of this moment since I was about 12.
tricky
Meaning: this is a soft word to describe something that is difficult
Some of the technical questions were very tricky, but you got a great score. Well done!
Other Words to Say Difficult in English
And a couple of not slang expressions but more informal English expressions that we can use to describe something difficult.
be no picnic
Picnic is a very nice thing to have out in the park, with some sandwiches a glass of wine or whatever you're having.
When we say something is no picnic it means it is quite difficult.
Being a freelancer is no picnic.
be no walk in the park
Again, a walk in the park is something quite interesting and exciting, something you can easily do.
So when we say something was no walk in the park it means it was quite difficult.
Arranging a charity event is no walk in the park.
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Source: https://www.englishlessonviaskype.com/other-words-for-difficult/
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