Describing difficulty – English vocabulary
33 words · English vocabulary · Created by OpenQuiz Team
33 English words with meanings: abstruse, arduous, burdensome, challenge, challenging… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI speaking practice on…
Part of the learning path: Vocabulary in Daily Life - Advance
Word list
- abstruse /əb'stru:s/ (adjective) — difficult to understand because it is very complicated
Example:The article was too abstruse for me.
Synonyms: obscure, hard to understand, recondite - arduous /'ɑ:rdʒuəs/ (adjective) — needing a lot of effort and hard work
Example:The hike was long and arduous.
Synonyms: difficult, strenuous, hard - burdensome /'bɝdən,səm/ (adjective) — causing a lot of work, trouble, or worry
Example:The new rules are burdensome for small businesses.
Synonyms: troublesome, heavy, onerous - challenge /'tʃælɪndʒ/ (noun) — a difficult task or problem that needs effort to solve
Example:Learning a new language can be a challenge.
Synonyms: difficulty, test, problem - challenging /'tʃælɪndʒɪŋ/ (adjective) — difficult and needing a lot of effort
Example:It was a challenging exam.
Synonyms: difficult, demanding - come up against /kʌm ʌp ə'ɡenst/ (phrase) — to face a difficult problem or obstacle
Example:She came up against a serious problem at work.
Synonyms: face, encounter, run into - complex /'kɑ:mplɛks/ (adjective) — made of many connected parts that are hard to understand
Example:The plan is complex and needs careful study.
Synonyms: complicated, intricate, elaborate - convoluted /'kɑ:nvəlu:tɪd/ (adjective) — very twisted and hard to follow
Example:His explanation was convoluted and confusing.
Synonyms: twisted, complicated, hard to follow - difficulty /'dɪfɪkəlti/ (noun) — a condition that makes something hard to do or understand
Example:She had difficulty understanding the instructions.
Synonyms: hardship, trouble, challenge - formidable /fər'mɪdəbəl/ (adjective) — very difficult or impressive because of size, strength, or skill
Example:The mountain was a formidable challenge.
Synonyms: impressive, daunting, powerful - gruelling /'ɡru:əlɪŋ/ (adjective) — very tiring and hard to endure
Example:The hike was gruelling from start to finish.
Synonyms: exhausting, taxing, arduous - half-baked /,hæf 'beɪkt/ (adjective) — not fully planned, developed, or thought through
Example:That was a half-baked plan.
Synonyms: unformed, poorly thought out, unfinished - heavy going /,hɛvi 'ɡoʊɪŋ/ (phrase) — difficult to read, understand, or make progress with
Example:The report was heavy going from the start.
Synonyms: difficult, hard work, challenging - impediment /ɪm'pɛdɪmənt/ (noun) — something that blocks movement, progress, or success
Example:A language barrier can be an impediment to communication.
Synonyms: obstacle, barrier, hindrance - impenetrable /ɪm'pɛnətrəbəl/ (adjective) — too difficult to understand or get through
Example:The text was impenetrable without a guide.
Synonyms: unreadable, incomprehensible, opaque - inability /,ɪnə'bɪləti/ (noun) — the state of not being able to do something
Example:Her inability to speak made the interview difficult.
Synonyms: inability, powerlessness, helplessness - incapable /ɪn'keɪpəbəl/ (adjective) — not able to do something
Example:He is incapable of driving at night.
Synonyms: unable, powerless, unfit - manageable /'mænɪdʒəbəl/ (adjective) — easy to control, handle, or deal with
Example:The task is difficult, but still manageable.
Synonyms: doable, handleable, manageable - ordeal /ɔr'deɪl/ (noun) — a very difficult or painful experience
Example:The hospital visit was a painful ordeal.
Synonyms: trial, hardship, trauma - overdo it /,oʊvər'du: ɪt/ (phrase) — to do too much of something
Example:Don't overdo it at the gym today.
Synonyms: exaggerate, go too far, do too much - pointless /'pɔɪntləs/ (adjective) — having no useful purpose or value
Example:It is pointless to argue now.
Synonyms: useless, meaningless, futile - problematic /,prɑblə'mætɪk/ (adjective) — causing difficulty or trouble
Example:The new system is problematic for small businesses.
Synonyms: troublesome, difficult, challenging - rush into /rʌʃ 'ɪntu/ (phrase) — to do something too quickly without thinking
Example:Don't rush into a decision.
Synonyms: hurry, act quickly, jump into - tedious /'ti:.di.əs/ (adjective) — boring because it takes too long and has little variety
Example:The lecture was long and tedious.
Synonyms: boring, dull, monotonous - time-consuming /,taɪm kən'su:mɪŋ/ (adjective) — taking a lot of time to do
Example:Writing the report was very time-consuming.
Synonyms: lengthy, laborious, time-intensive - tough /tʌf/ (adjective) — difficult to do, deal with, or endure
Example:It was tough to stay calm under pressure.
Synonyms: hard, difficult, challenging - tricky /'trɪki/ (adjective) — difficult because it needs careful handling
Example:This problem is tricky, so think carefully.
Synonyms: difficult, troublesome, awkward - undemanding /,ʌndɪ'mændɪŋ/ (adjective) — not needing much effort or skill
Example:The test was undemanding.
Synonyms: easy, simple, unchallenging - underestimate /,ʌndər'ɛstə,meɪt/ (verb) — to think something is less important, difficult, or large than it is
Example:I underestimated how hard the test would be.
Synonyms: misjudge, undervalue, underrate - uninspiring /,ʌnɪn'spaɪərɪŋ/ (adjective) — not interesting or exciting
Example:The movie was uninspiring and predictable.
Synonyms: boring, dull, unexciting
…and 3 more words in this set.
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