Other Words for Difficult in English - Increase Your English Vocabulary

Other Words for Difficult in English - Increase Your English Vocabulary There are other words for difficult that you need to know.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.  How and when we  use it and what does it mean. Other Words for Difficult - Transcript Of course, its 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 its a common word and in that use.But with English and particularly when Im teaching English I like my students to understand alternative options, synonyms that they  can use so they dont have to repeat the same word over and over again.And, of course, if youre 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.Even if youre 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 do nt have a  girlfriend.My sports life is difficult because Im  not fit and I cant get on the football  team.  Okay. So we can use the word  difficult difficult difficult.Here are  some alternatives that you might like toconsider instead of difficult:TOUGHHARDFORMIDABLEAWKWARD  (Ill come back to  that.  A  little bit of a question about  whether we should we shouldnt use it)CHALLENGINGONEROUSARDUOUS Other Words to Say Difficult in English Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: 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.TOUGHThe  exam was really tough.The questions were  very tough.  I wasnt sure that I will be  able to answer them all because some  parts I have not covered in my course.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.HARDAnother  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.  DEMANDINGWhile demanding can  have a few different meanings and we can  say something is difficult its  demanding but when its not impossible.The work he has t o do these days is  quite demanding because he recently got  promoted and therefore theres 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.FORMIDABLEHere 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 havent been beaten all season so were really going to have our work cut out (meaning: its going to  be difficult)  if were going to get  anything out of the game.  If we are going  to beat them.So this opposition is quite  formidable.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. Hes really well-built, he is extremely fit and it would be  quite an achievement to w in that fight. So this opponent is quite formidable.We  could say difficult but difficult  wouldnt quite give you the same meaning  whereas formidable gives you more  expression that hes tough,  hes strong, hes fit and you know its going to be  quite an achievement to succeed.