Difficulty vs. Obstacle — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on October 7, 2023
Difficulty refers to the state or condition of being hard to accomplish, understand, or deal with, while obstacle denotes a thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.
Difference Between Difficulty and Obstacle
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Difficulty and obstacle are terms often used to describe challenges, but they denote different aspects of challenge. Difficulty primarily refers to the level of challenge presented by a task, situation, or goal, implying complications, hardships, or effort required to overcome it. An obstacle, however, refers more to a specific barrier, impediment, or hindrance that stands in the way of achieving a goal or completing a task, presenting a tangible or intangible blockage.
The concept of difficulty often relates to the inherent complexities or hardships of a task or situation. It may refer to anything that requires a significant amount of effort, skill, or time to accomplish, understand, or endure. On the other hand, an obstacle is usually an external element that obstructs progress, something that must be navigated around, removed, or overcome to proceed.
For instance, in learning a new skill, the difficulty might be the complexity of the skill itself, the learning curve, or the effort needed to master it. An obstacle in this context could be a lack of resources, such as time or money, or external interruptions and distractions, which hinder the learning process. Thus, difficulty is more about the inherent challenge, while obstacle is about external barriers to overcoming that challenge.
While difficulty can be intrinsic to the task, goal, or situation at hand, requiring perseverance and problem-solving to overcome, obstacles often require strategic planning, resourcefulness, and action to navigate or remove. A task with high difficulty will necessitate adept skills and considerable effort, whereas facing an obstacle might require finding alternative paths, solutions, or acquiring additional resources.
In essence, while both difficulty and obstacle represent challenges, they emphasize different facets of challenge: difficulty is about the inherent hardness or complexity, and obstacle is about external barriers that block the way to progress.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The state or condition of being hard to accomplish, understand, or deal with.
A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.
Nature
Intrinsic to the task, relating to complexities or hardships.
Usually an external element, acting as a barrier or impediment.
Type of Challenge
Represents the level of challenge, requiring effort, skill, or time to overcome.
Represents a specific barrier that needs to be navigated around, removed, or overcome.
Solution Approach
Requires perseverance, problem-solving, and possibly acquiring new skills.
Requires strategic planning, resourcefulness, and possibly finding alternative paths.
Contextual Application
Applied to describe the inherent challenges in tasks, goals, or situations.
Applied to describe tangible or intangible barriers obstructing progress.
Compare with Definitions
Difficulty
Difficulty can denote the effort needed to understand a concept or situation.
He had difficulty grasping the advanced mathematical concepts.
Obstacle
Obstacle implies a circumstance or factor causing difficulties in achieving a goal.
His lack of experience was seen as an obstacle to his employment.
Difficulty
Difficulty may represent a challenging or unfavorable condition or situation.
The team faced considerable difficulty due to the harsh weather conditions.
Obstacle
Obstacle can denote a barrier or blockage that needs to be overcome.
Lack of funding is a major obstacle to scientific research.
Difficulty
Difficulty can also mean the state of being hard to please or satisfy.
The critic's difficulty with the film was its lack of originality.
Obstacle
Obstacle can represent a tangible or intangible hindrance in a path or course.
The new regulation created an unexpected obstacle for the emerging industry.
Difficulty
The condition or quality of being difficult
The difficulty of a task.
Obstacle
Obstacle refers to something that impedes or hinders progress.
The fallen tree was a significant obstacle for motorists.
Difficulty
Something not easily done, accomplished, comprehended, or solved
We face a difficulty that requires unconventional thinking.
Obstacle
Obstacle can also mean a situation or condition obstructing advancement or success.
The steep learning curve is often an obstacle for new users.
Difficulty
Often difficulties A troublesome or embarrassing state of affairs, especially of financial affairs
Lost his job and found himself in difficulties.
Obstacle
Something that stands in the way of or holds up progress
The road crew removed the obstacle of the fallen tree limb. We had to overcome many obstacles to put on this show.
Difficulty
A disagreement or dispute
A company trying to settle difficulties with labor.
Obstacle
Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively
A big obstacle to understanding the manual was that it had been poorly translated from the Japanese.
Difficulty
The state of being difficult, or hard to do.
Obstacle
That which stands in the way, or opposes; anything that hinders progress; a hindrance; an obstruction, physical or moral.
If all obstacles were cut away.And that my path were even to the crown.
Difficulty
An obstacle that hinders achievement of a goal.
We faced a difficulty in trying to book a flight so late.
Obstacle
Something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted;
Lack of immagination is an obstacle to one's advancement
The poverty of a district is an obstacle to good education
The filibuster was a major obstruction to the success of their plan
Difficulty
Physical danger from the environment, especially with risk of drowning
Obstacle
An obstruction that stands in the way (and must be removed or surmounted or circumvented)
Difficulty
An objection.
Difficulty
That which cannot be easily understood or believed.
Difficulty
An awkward situation or quarrel.
Difficulty
The state of being difficult, or hard to do; hardness; arduousness; - opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of difficulty.
Not being able to promote them [the interests of life] on account of the difficulty of the region.
Difficulty
Something difficult; a thing hard to do or to understand; that which occasions labor or perplexity, and requires skill and perseverance to overcome, solve, or achieve; a hard enterprise; an obstacle; an impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology.
They lie under some difficulties by reason of the emperor's displeasure.
Difficulty
A controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an objection; a cavil.
Measures for terminating all local difficulties.
Difficulty
Embarrassment of affairs, especially financial affairs; - usually in the plural; as, to be in difficulties.
In days of difficulty and pressure.
Difficulty
An effort that is inconvenient;
I went to a lot of trouble
He won without any trouble
Had difficulty walking
Finished the test only with great difficulty
Difficulty
A factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result;
Serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent
Difficulty
A condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome;
Grappling with financial difficulties
Difficulty
The quality of being difficult;
They agreed about the difficulty of the climb
Difficulty
Difficulty refers to the complexity or hardship in accomplishing a task.
The difficulty of the puzzle required considerable time and concentration.
Difficulty
Difficulty implies a struggle or challenge in enduring or overcoming situations.
She encountered difficulty in maintaining a work-life balance.
Common Curiosities
Can an obstacle be intangible?
Yes, an obstacle can be intangible, such as a lack of knowledge, motivation, or a limiting belief, hindering progress.
What is an obstacle?
An obstacle is something that impedes or hinders progress, acting as a barrier or blockage that needs to be overcome.
Can difficulty be inherent to a task or goal?
Yes, difficulty can be intrinsic to a task or goal, representing the inherent complexities or hardships involved.
What does difficulty refer to?
Difficulty refers to the state or condition of being hard to accomplish, understand, or deal with due to complexity or hardship.
Does overcoming difficulty require effort and perseverance?
Yes, overcoming difficulty typically requires effort, perseverance, and often the acquisition of new skills or knowledge.
Does overcoming an obstacle require strategic planning?
Often, yes. Overcoming an obstacle usually requires strategic planning, resourcefulness, and sometimes finding alternative paths or solutions.
Is difficulty always negative?
Not necessarily. While difficulty often implies challenges, overcoming difficulty can lead to growth, learning, and a sense of accomplishment.
Can an obstacle be a specific barrier?
Yes, an obstacle often refers to a specific barrier, either tangible or intangible, that obstructs progress.
Can overcoming obstacles lead to personal growth?
Absolutely. Overcoming obstacles can foster resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills, contributing to personal growth and development.
Can difficulty relate to the level of challenge presented by a task?
Absolutely. Difficulty primarily denotes the level of challenge, indicating the amount of effort, skill, or time required to overcome it.
Is high difficulty associated with complex tasks?
Typically, yes. High difficulty is often associated with tasks that are complex, requiring more effort, skill, and understanding to accomplish.
Can an obstacle be overcome by acquiring additional resources?
Yes, acquiring additional resources can often help in overcoming obstacles, providing the means to navigate, remove, or bypass the hindrance.
Can difficulty be subjective?
Yes, what is considered difficulty can vary from person to person, depending on individual skills, knowledge, perceptions, and experiences.
Can both difficulty and obstacle represent forms of challenge?
Yes, both difficulty and obstacle represent different forms of challenge; difficulty denotes the level of challenge, while obstacle represents a specific hindrance or barrier to progress.
Is an obstacle always external?
While obstacles are often external, they can also be internal, such as mental barriers, fears, or self-doubt, hindering progress.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
