What does difficulty mean?
Difficulty is a noun describing the state or quality of being hard to do, understand, or overcome. It can refer to the abstract measure of how demanding something is — as when we speak of the difficulty of a puzzle or an exam — or to a concrete obstacle standing in someone's way, as in "financial difficulties." Derived from the adjective "difficult," which entered English via Latin and Old French roots meaning "not easy," it carries a neutral connotation: it neither praises nor blames, simply acknowledging effort or hardship. It appears constantly in everyday speech and writing, from "with difficulty" and "without difficulty" to the common pattern "have difficulty doing something." Its opposite is ease, simplicity, or facility. Because it names both abstract challenge and tangible trouble, difficulty is a versatile word for describing everything from academic work to personal setbacks, making it essential vocabulary for discussing obstacles honestly and precisely.
The state or quality of being hard to do, understand, or achieve.
"The difficulty of the climb surprised even experienced mountaineers."
A problem, obstacle, or circumstance that causes trouble or hardship.
"Despite early difficulties, the startup eventually found its footing."
The plural "difficulties" typically refers to multiple concrete problems or hardships rather than varying degrees of hardness.
"She overcame many difficulties on her way to citizenship."
"Difficulty" and "faculty" come from the same Latin root — one names what's hard to do, the other an ability to do it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of difficulty
Difficulty comes from Latin "difficultas," formed from "difficilis" (hard, not easy), itself built on "dis-" (apart, not) plus "facilis" (easy), the same root that gives us "facility" and "faculty." English adopted the word in the late Middle Ages through Old French "difficulté." Its relatives include "facile" and "facilitate," which preserve the positive side of the same root — the notion of ease.
Related word forms
How difficulty is actually used
"Difficulty" is neutral in register and works in both formal and everyday contexts. In British English, "in difficulty" often means in trouble or distress. The phrase "have difficulty + gerund" (e.g., "have difficulty sleeping") is standard; using "to" instead of a gerund is nonstandard.
Easily confused with difficulty
"Difficult" is the adjective describing something that is hard, while "difficulty" is the noun naming the state of being hard or a specific problem.