“Difficult” vs. “Hard”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “difficult” and “hard”

  • "Difficult" sounds more professional and formal, while "hard" is typically more casual and colloquial.
  • "Hard" can also mean a solid and firm object or surface, while "difficult" cannot be used in this way.
  • "Difficult" can also relate to people or relationships, while "hard" is typically used to describe inanimate objects or situations.
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What is the definition of “difficult” and “hard”?

Difficult
  • "Difficult" refers to that which requires a lot of effort or skill to accomplish successfully.
  • It can also relate to something that is complicated or complex, making it challenging to understand or solve.
  • Additionally, "difficult" can refer to an individual who is challenging to deal with or manage.
Hard
  • "Hard" is used to describe a situation or task that is challenging or difficult to complete.
  • "Hard" can refer to something that is physically tough or strong.
  • It can also relate to something that is tough to break or penetrate, such as a rock or metal.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Hard” is the more popular variant on the web.
Difficult
3,180,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Calculus is difficult for many students.
  2. It's difficult to wake up early in the morning for me.
  3. The new manager is difficult to talk to.
More popular
Hard
4,650,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Running a marathon is hard for most people.
  2. It's hard to resist eating junk food when you're on a diet.
  3. Diamond is the hardest natural material in the world.
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