English Vocabulary in Use - 69 Difficulties and dilemmas

a snag, a hitch, a glitch

nouns related to difficulties

setback

progress has been stopped by something

stumbling block

something that prevents action or agreement

pitfall

an unexpected difficulty

obstacle

anything that stops progress, either literally or metaphorically

impediment

something that prevents free action, progress or movement

dilemma

a situation where a difficult choice has to be ,Ade between two, sometimes unpleasant, alternatives

ordeal

a severe experience, which is very difficult, painful or tiring

problematic

full of problems or difficulties

abstruse

difficult to understand

arduous

difficult, tiring, needing much effort

complex

difficult to understand as it has many parts

convoluted

unreasonably long and hard to follow

gruelling

extremely tiring and difficult

insufferable

difficult to bear, as it is annoying or uncomfortable

obstructive

causing deliberate difficulties

tough

difficult to deal with or do

traumatic

shocking and upsetting

wayward

changeable, selfish/or hard to control

what a pain! / what a drag!

what a nuisance!

chore

boring job that has to be done

what’s eating him? / what’s got into him? / what’s bugging him? / what’s (up) with him?

what’s the matter with him?

hassle

situation causing trouble or difficulty

hassling

asking again and again

torture

used figuratively to refer to an unpleasant experience

to slog (your guts out) / to grind / to graft / to flog yourself to death

to work hard

in a fix / in a spot / in a hole / up against it / up to your neck

in a difficult situation

sticky/tricky

difficult

off the hook / in the clear / out of the wood(s)

freed from a difficult situation

downside

the disadvantage of a situation