"Hardship" vs. "difficulty": exploring the nuances of struggle

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 10/10/2024, 01:13

English.me team member

Hardship and difficulty. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both "hardship" and "difficulty" refer to challenging or adverse situations that require effort to overcome. They can be used interchangeably in some contexts to describe struggles or obstacles someone faces.

What is different?

The word "hardship" often implies a prolonged, more intense challenge that may relate to basic needs or survival, such as financial hardship. It can connote a more serious, adverse condition. "Difficulty" can refer to any problem or obstacle that causes trouble or requires effort to solve, but it doesn’t necessarily imply severity or prolonged duration and can describe both minor and significant challenges.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Hardship

The family faced great hardship after the loss of their home.
The immigrants endured hardship during their journey.
Financial hardship was a constant struggle for the community.

Difficulty

She had difficulty understanding the complex instructions.
There was a difficulty in scheduling the meeting.
He faced difficulty in learning the new language.