Life is full of challenges, and our language reflects this through various expressions and idioms that describe difficult situations. Whether it’s overcoming hurdles at work or navigating personal trials, these phrases add color and depth to our descriptions of hardship. This blog post explores 20 expressions related to difficulty, providing brief meanings and examples to help you understand and use them effectively in everyday conversations.
Expressions Related to Difficulty
1. Against the grain
Meaning: Doing something contrary to the norm.
Example: He went against the grain and dyed his hair blue.
2. Climb a mountain
Meaning: Face a significant challenge.
Example: Finishing this project on time is like climbing a mountain.
3. In hot water
Meaning: In trouble.
Example: She was in hot water after missing the meeting.
4. Up the creek without a paddle
Meaning: In a bad situation without escape.
Example: Without the report, we’re up the creek without a paddle.
5. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: Take on too much.
Example: He bit off more than he could chew with that promise.
6. Between a rock and a hard place
Meaning: Faced with two difficult options.
Example: I’m between a rock and a hard place with these choices.
7. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Work late into the night.
Example: We burned the midnight oil to meet the deadline.
8. No picnic
Meaning: Difficult.
Example: Running a marathon is no picnic.
9. Not for the faint of heart
Meaning: Very challenging.
Example: This scary movie is not for the faint of heart.
10. A tough nut to crack
Meaning: Hard to solve.
Example: This puzzle is a tough nut to crack.
11. Through thick and thin
Meaning: In all difficulties.
Example: They stuck together through thick and thin.
12. Like pulling teeth
Meaning: Very difficult.
Example: Getting him to apologize was like pulling teeth.
13. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: Be overly cautious.
Example: I walked on eggshells around him all day.
14. Back against the wall
Meaning: Few options left.
Example: With our backs against the wall, we had to innovate.
15. Steep learning curve
Meaning: Quickly and difficultly learning something.
Example: Learning to code has a steep learning curve.
16. Fight an uphill battle
Meaning: Struggle against odds.
Example: He’s fighting an uphill battle for approval.
17. Weather the storm
Meaning: Survive hard times.
Example: They weathered the storm of the scandal.
18. At the end of one’s rope
Meaning: Losing patience.
Example: I’m at the end of my rope with this noise.
19. In a tight spot
Meaning: In a difficult position.
Example: Financially, he’s in a tight spot.
20. Cross to bear
Meaning: A burden one must carry.
Example: His critical attitude is his cross to bear.
