30 Idioms for Difficult – Problem Idioms of Life

Idioms for Difficult

30 Idioms for Difficult – Task you Should Know

Learning to use these easy idioms related to difficult situations and unpleasant experiences and expressions will make your style of sound more native and attractive.

These idioms aren’t only for difficult conditions, in fact “idioms for difficult” come in handy when trying to express oneself in a more nuanced and descriptive way.

Now, In this article, we’ll try to explore a collection of idioms for our users with detail which are used to describe  difficult conditions.

Idioms for difficult

1. “At Your Wits’ End”

Impact Meaning: It means that someone ended all his thought and mental resources, now he’s so upset that he doesn’t know what to do next to continue his discussion.


In the Example Sentence: Jonsan was at wits’ end, trying to think about how to convey the best education to kids that help in future.

2. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”

Impact Meaning: It describes a critical situation in which someone is stuck. What should he do now?


In the Example Sentence: I’m between a rock and a hard place. If I leave my education, I won’t be able to pay my parents, but if I don’t, our relationship might suffer.

3. “Hard Sell”

Impact Meaning: This idiom tells us someone is trying to sell something very forcefully.


In the Example Sentence: The shopkeeper was giving us a hard sell trying to get us to book a more expensive dress for the event.

4. “A Hard Nut To Crack”

Impact meaning: This idiom uses that time when someone saves yourself from crime, and leaves no clue to catch. In short, it means that something is so difficult to do or find out.


In the Example Sentence: My course was a hard nut to crack. and I had to study for hours or years to pass it.

5. “Climb a Steep Hill”

Impact Meaning: In this idiom, it expresses that to perform a challenging mission requires a lot of strength and effort.


In the Example Sentence: Learning a new course related to doctor is like climbing a steep hill, but the prizes are worth it.

6. “Uphill Battle”

Impact Meaning: This idiom speaks of that time when it was so hard to achieve the goal of life.


In the Example Sentence: The teacher is having an uphill battle to get her some dull students to understand the few topics of Physics.

“Uphill Battle”

7. “Slippery Slope”

Impact Meaning: It means that difficult action which one short action go to another action.


In the Example Sentence: If they start to refuse exceptions to their rules, it could be a slippery slope to them having no rules at all.

8. “Catch-22”

Impact Meaning: It means a very critical issue or situation from which it isn’t  easy to achieve the desired outcome.


In the Example Sentence: This team had a cost-cutting plan that was a catch-22: they wanted to reduce the number of players but also would not have enough manpower to chase the run rate.

9. “A Tough Nut to Crack”

Impact Meaning: It means a tricky issue or person that is difficult to understand or solve.


In the Example Sentence: The Social-Study puzzle in the competition was tough nut to crack, but basically, I solved it out.

10. “In Hot Water”

Impact Meaning: It means that is due to one’s action, to facing major difficulties.


In the Example Sentence: After missing the train, i search myself in hot water with my supervisor.

11. “Grasping at Straws”

Impact Meaning: It means that some works  don’t possible to do, something that may not happen at all, but still someone waits for him to do it.


In the Example Sentence: After being soundly defeated in argument, everyone started grasping at straws to win.

“Grasping at Straws”

12. “Pulling Teeth”

Impact Meaning: It provides a task or situation that is really unexpecting to proceed, frustrating.


In the Example Sentence: Getting my younger brother to send to buy something from a shop or market is like pulling teeth, he just doesn’t want to cooperate or make help.

13. “Vicious Circle”

Impact Meaning: This idiom tells that each trouble makes the reason for another trouble and the issues never completely stop being difficult.


In the Example Meaning: They prefer the city’s gun issue is rooted in a vicious circle of family members that encourages younger relatives.

 14. “Tough Break”

Impact Meaning: This idiom for use at that time when someone is  facing a setback or a negative action.


In the Example Sentence: That was a tough break, that my car took major default during my travel of Paris.

15. “Biting off More than Chew

Impact Meaning: It means that someone performs responsibilities or work, in huge at once time.


In the Example Sentence: I thought I could manage a full-time reading, night classes, and a part-time internship classes, but I’ve clearly bitten off more than chew.

16. “It’s A Long Shot”

Impact Meaning: It means that chances of something to progress are very small.


In the Example Sentence: I’m going to achieve my goal of life, but it’s a very long shot.

17. “The Crux of the Matter”

Impact meaning: It means that the basic, central, or critical point of an issue.


In the Example Sentence: The crux of the matter in the murder case were the few strands of hair found near the carpet.

18. “Up a Creek Without a Paddle”

Impact Meaning: It shows a critical situation in which leaving or moving out yourself is not an easy way.


In the Example Sentence: I lost my pen and clipboard in the exam center before starting my paper, so now I’m up a creek without a paddle.

Up a Creek Without a Paddle

19. “Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire”

Impact Meaning: This idiom tells that to escape one difficult situation only to enter another difficulty that is more challenging than from 1st difficulty.


In the Example Sentence: She thought leaving her non-medical subject would solve her issue, but now she’s in new medical subjects that’s just as demanding, it’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

20. “In Dire Straits”

Impact Meaning: This idiom expresses that someone is in an extremely difficult situation.


In the Example Sentence: After being caught with a cigarette at college, he is in dire straits, over what will happen with him at home.

21. “Last Resort”

Impact Meaning: This idiom speaks at that time when you have only one chance left to fulfil your desire and no other options available to you.


In the Example Sentence: When they could not get any place for stay as a last resort to decide to take their tent in the forest.

22. “You’ve Got Your Work Cut Out for You”

Impact Meaning: It means that someone is faced with a very huge hard task. Due to it he left all his other work.


In the Example Sentence: Roy decided to complete his bachelor master in chemistry in the same year, he had his work cut out for him.

23. “Close Call”

Impact Meaning: It means that someone narrowly escapes difficulty from a critical or unpleasant condition.


In the Example Sentence: I almost got caught cheating on my duty, it’s a close call.

24. “The Tip of the Iceberg.”

Impact Meaning: This idiom speaks at that time when some face only a small part of the problem or issue.


In the Example Sentence: The banking fraud was just the tip of the iceberg of a massive financial scandal in the company.

The Tip of the Iceberg

25. “Tall Order”

Impact Meaning: This idiom speaks of that time when someone gives you a huge task and work, which is so difficult to complete.


In the Example Sentence:  It’s a tall order to tell him to memorize the entire notebook for the test.

 26. “In the Hot Seat”

Impact Meaning: It means that a person is in a responsibility position where he manages many things.


In the Example Sentence: He is in the hot seat to achieve his aim.

27. “Tough Call”

Impact Meaning: It means that it’s extremely difficult to select one option from two options.


In the Example Sentence: It’s a tough call to decide whether to wear black dress or yellow dress on Mehndi function.

28. “Walking on Thin Ice”

Impact meaning: It means to involve in a risky or critical situation which could lead easily to serious or difficult structure.


In the Example Sentence: To make our relatives happy is like walking on thin ice, so we necessary to be careful with our words.

“Walking on Thin Ice”

29. “Break a Leg”

Impact Meaning: This idiom is used for a person wishing someone good luck, basically before a performance.


In the Example Sentence: The teacher is trying to break a leg of her, because she got great achievement in life.

30. “Tough Row To Hoe”

Impact meaning: It shows that the next part of the job is going to be so difficult.


In the Example Sentence: Overtaking a bad habit is a tough row to hoe, but with true support and treatment, it’s possible.

FAQs

Yes, of course,9+idioms about Unpleasant Situations which should be memorized by everybody. 

  1. “Tough Row To Hoe”,
  2. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”,
  3. “Hard Sell”,
  4. “A Hard Nut To Crack”,
  5. “Grasping at Straws”,
  6. “Pulling Teeth”,
  7. “Biting off More than Chew”,
  8. “Close Call”.
  9. “Walking on Thin Ice”

Conclusion

Lastly, in this article, we tried our best to provide better knowledge about harsh situations, from which everybody can gain a huge message, and can apply these idioms in daily life in an easy manner.

Furthermore, to understand the meaning and how to use idioms in daily life, everybody studying English must practice continuously. At last, if you have any problem in understanding these idioms, you can share with us with the help of the comment below. We’ll try to overcome your problem in a short time. Also, thanks for reading.

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