- difficulty
- nounADJECTIVE▪ considerable, enormous, extreme, grave, great, major, real, serious, severe▪
We had enormous difficulty in getting hold of the right equipment.
▪ insurmountable▪ increasing▪questions of increasing difficulty
▪ inherent▪the difficulties inherent in treating overdose patients
▪ potential▪ particular, special▪English spelling presents special difficulties for foreign learners.
▪ economic, financial▪ practical, technical▪I think we've managed to overcome most of the practical difficulties.
▪ behavioural/behavioral, emotional, learning▪children with learning difficulties
… OF DIFFICULTY▪ level▪The games have various levels of difficulty.
VERB + DIFFICULTY▪ encounter, experience, face, get into, have, run into▪Among the difficulties encountered was a lack of cooperation on the part of the authorities.
▪Anyone experiencing difficulty with radio reception should call us on the new helpline.
▪Some companies are getting into difficulty.
▪Let me know if you have any difficulties.
▪I had little difficulty in persuading the others to come.
▪The plan has run into serious difficulties.
▪ cause, create, make, pose, present▪Will it cause any difficulties if I go early?
▪She is always making difficulties for herself.
▪ increase▪This increases the difficulty of the shot.
▪ cope with, deal with, overcome, resolve, solve, surmount▪ avoid▪how to avoid technical difficulties
▪ be fraught with▪The situation was fraught with difficulty.
▪ illustrate▪ report▪Please report any difficulties to the help desk.
DIFFICULTY + VERB▪ arise▪Difficulties arise when people fail to consult their colleagues.
▪ lie (in sth)▪The difficulty lies in identifying the precise nature of the problem.
PREPOSITION▪ despite a/the difficulty▪Despite all the difficulties, he still remains optimistic.
▪ in difficulty▪Some companies are already in difficulty.
▪We could see that the swimmer was in difficulties. (esp. BrE)
▪ with difficulty, without difficulty▪We crossed the border without any difficulty.
▪Life in the city was not without its difficulties.
▪ difficulty in▪She had difficulty in starting her car.
▪ difficulty of▪the difficulty of finding an affordable hotel
▪ difficulty with▪I'm having difficulty with the engine.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
