difficult
/ˈdɪfɪkəlt/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
Adjective
Examples
difficult of accomplishment
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Hard to manage, uncooperative, troublesome.
Adjective
Examples
Stop being difficult and eat your broccoli—you know it's good for you.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “difficult” mean?
Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
Is “difficult” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.