Tra từ difficult - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

dif·fi·cult BrE [ˈdɪfɪkəlt] NAmE [ˈdɪfɪkəlt] adjective
1. ~ (for sb) (to do sth) not easy; needing effort or skill to do or to understand
•a difficult problem/task/exam
•It's difficult for them to get here much before seven.
• It's really difficult to read your writing.
•Your writing is really difficult to read.
•She finds it very difficult to get up early.
2. full of problems; causing a lot of trouble
•to be in a difficult position/situation
• My boss is making life very difficult for me.
•13 is a difficult age.
3. (of people)not easy to please; not helpful
Syn: ↑awkward
•a difficult child/customer/boss
• Don't pay any attention to her— she's just being difficult.
see have a (hard/difficult) job doing/to do sth at ↑job, make life difficult at ↑life

Word Origin:
late Middle English: back-formation from ↑difficulty.

Thesaurus:
difficult [difficult] adj.
1.
•The exam questions were too difficult for her.
hard • • demanding • • taxing • • testing • |approving challenging •
Opp: easy, Opp: simple
difficult/hard/demanding/taxing/challenging for sb
difficult/hard to do/believe/see/tell/say (sth)
a difficult/hard/demanding/taxing/testing/challenging time/week/year
a difficult/hard/demanding/challenging task/target
Difficult or hard? Hard is slightly less formal than difficult. It is used especially in the structure hard to believe/say/find, etc.
2.
•My boss was making life difficult for me.
tough • • hard • • bad • • rough • • adverse • |formal disadvantageous • |BrE, formal unfavourable • |AmE, formal unfavorable •
Opp: easy
difficult/tough/hard/bad/disadvantageous/unfavourable for sb
a/an difficult/tough/hard/bad/rough/unfavourable situation
difficult/tough/hard/bad/rough/adverse/unfavourable conditions
a/an difficult/hard/bad/adverse/disadvantageous/unfavourable position
3.
•How do you deal with difficult customers?
awkward • • obstructive • • uncooperative • • perverse • • unhelpful •
be difficult/awkward about sth
a/an difficult/awkward/uncooperative child
a/an difficult/awkward customer

Synonyms:
difficult
hard • challenging • demanding • taxing
These words all describe sth that is not easy and requires a lot of effort or skill to do.
difficult • not easy; needing effort or skill to do or understand: ▪ The exam questions were quite difficult. ◇ ▪ It is difficult for young people to find jobs around here.
hard • not easy; needing effort or skill to do or understand: ▪ I always found languages quite hard at school. ◇ ▪ It was one of the hardest things I ever did.
difficult or hard?
Hard is slightly less formal than difficult. It is used particularly in the structure hard to believe/say/find/take, etc., although difficult can also be used in any of these examples.
challenging • (approving) difficult in an interesting way that tests your ability.
demanding • difficult to do or deal with and needing a lot of effort, skill or patience: ▪ It is a technically demanding piece of music to play.
taxing • (often used in negative statements) difficult to do and needing a lot of mental or physical effort: ▪ This shouldn't be too taxing for you.
difficult/hard/challenging/demanding/taxing for sb
difficult/hard to do sth
physically difficult/hard/challenging/demanding/taxing
technically difficult/challenging/demanding
mentally/intellectually challenging/demanding/taxing

Example Bank:
•Her disability made taking care of the home and raising a family doubly difficult.
•It is getting more and more difficult to find a job.
•The fog made driving very difficult.
•Don't pay any attention to her— she's just being difficult.
•He finds French pronunciation quite difficult.
•His presence there put me in a very difficult position.
•I was given the difficult task of informing the girl's parents of her disappearance.
•I'd had a difficult time, and needed a break.
•It can be difficult for young people to find jobs around here.
•It's really difficult to read your writing.
•Roger was always a difficult child.
•Senior lawyers handle the most difficult cases.
•The application process is notoriously difficult.
•The exam questions were quite difficult.
•The next few months were quite difficult.
•There was a great deal of difficult terrain to be covered.
•They had to set up camp in extremely difficult conditions.
•We didn't realize how difficult it was going to be.
•We have training in how to deal with difficult customers.
•What's the most difficult personal situation you've ever been in?