How to Pronounce Difficulty

To pronounce "difficulty", say DIFF-ic-ulty — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈdɪfəkəɫti/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

difficulty

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Accent

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Speed

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3

Syllables

10

Letters

/ˈdɪfəkəɫti/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/dˈɪfɪkˌʌlti/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “difficulty”

"difficulty" has 3 syllables: diff-ic-ulty. It rhymes with silty and multi, if that helps it stick.

What does difficulty mean?

noun

  1. The state of being difficult, or hard to do.
  2. An obstacle that hinders achievement of a goal.

    “We faced a difficulty in trying to book a flight so late.”

Hear “difficulty” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with difficulty

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

siltymultikiltiestiltygultymulti-cultimcnulty

Related words

difficultnesstroubledifficiledifficultproblemnoduschallengingproblematic

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "difficulty"?▾

"Difficulty" has 3 syllables: diff · ic · ulty.

What is the IPA transcription of "difficulty"?▾

The IPA transcription of "difficulty" is /ˈdɪfəkəɫti/.

What does "difficulty" mean?▾

Difficulty: The state of being difficult, or hard to do.

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