dificultoso

difficult

adjective dee-fee-kool-TOH-soh Rare

Also means

troublesome

Usage Note

Dificultoso is a slightly more formal or literary synonym of difícil, suggesting something that causes difficulty rather than simply being hard. It is especially common when describing tasks, terrain, or procedures that are laborious or fraught with obstacles. Unlike difícil, which is the everyday default, dificultoso can imply an element of tedium or frustration alongside the difficulty.

Examples

"El camino de montaña era dificultoso."

Natural Translation

The mountain path was difficult.

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