Difficulty and Distress

Difficulty

Difficulty noun - Something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal.

Distress is a synonym for difficulty in trouble topic. In some cases you can use "Distress" instead a noun "Difficulty", when it comes to topics like problem, effect, affliction, mental burden.

Nearby Word: difficult

Distress

Distress noun - A state of great suffering of body or mind.
Usage example: the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food

Difficulty is a synonym for distress in danger topic. You can use "Difficulty" instead a noun "Distress", if it concerns topics such as effect, affliction, hardship.

How words are described

similar similar difficulty similar distress
considerable considerable difficulty considerable distress
real real difficulty real distress
severe severe difficulty severe distress
Other adjectives: massive, extreme, great, intense, serious, little, incredible, apparent, less, extra, significant, immense, greater, increasing.
Cite this Source
Distress and Difficulty. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/difficulty/distress
Difficulty & Distress. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/difficulty/distress>.
Distress or Difficulty. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/difficulty/distress.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "difficulty" and "distress" have occurred on timeline