Dictionary

problem en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [-bm̩] (General-American)
• (US) audio
• [-m̩] (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɒblɪm/ (Received-Pronunciation, dated)
• /-əm/ (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɑbləm/ (General-American)
• /-bəm/ (General-American, reduced)
• /ˈpɹɒbləm/ (Canada, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek προ- (pro-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek προβάλλω (probállō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma)bor. Latin problēmabor. Middle French problemebor. Middle English probleme English problem From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

Meanings

1. Of a person or an animal, difficult to train or guide; unruly.
2. Causing a problem; problematic; troublesome.
   • It is more problem to my family than to me. 2010, A. M. Aleksander, The Pride of the King:

Forms

Relateds

trouble

problem en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [-bm̩] (General-American)
• (US) audio
• [-m̩] (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɒblɪm/ (Received-Pronunciation, dated)
• /-əm/ (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɑbləm/ (General-American)
• /-bəm/ (General-American, reduced)
• /ˈpɹɒbləm/ (Canada, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek προ- (pro-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek προβάλλω (probállō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma)bor. Latin problēmabor. Middle French problemebor. Middle English probleme English problem From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

Meanings

1. A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
   • The perfume industry is facing a major problem: maintaining constant levels of quality is crucial, but it is increasingly difficult to obtain a regular supply of all the necessary natural ingredients. 2014 March 7, Nicole Vulser, “Perfume manufacturers must cope with the scarcity of precious supplies”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 190, number 13, page 30:
   • Kate's very good with problems, Chief Inspector. Other people's, anyway. 1999 February 3, Anthony Horowitz et al., “Strangler's Wood”, in Midsomer Murders:
   • “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.” 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
   • She's leaving because she faced numerous problems to do with racism.
2. A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with. ▸ An addiction, other substance use disorder, or comparable psychological challenge.
   • I think he has a gambling problem. Lending him money will probably only make it worse.
   • I think he has a nose candy problem. Lending him money will probably only make it worse.
3. A question to be answered, schoolwork exercise.
   • Study hard, but don't overdo it. The problems in the exam won't be difficult to solve.
4. A puzzling circumstance.
5. Objection.
   • You got a problem with that?
6. Difficulty in accepting or understanding or refusal to accept or understand.
   • You made your best honest effort; if they judge you harshly, that’s their problem, not yours.
7. A set of moves required to complete a climb.

Forms

Antonyms

solution

Deriveds

Scunthorpe problem · metaproblem · dial-a-ride problem · Apollonian problem · secretary problem · Bongard problem · presenting problem · sub-problem · Uber problem · distant starlight problem · microproblem · problem space · rice and chessboard problem · Houston, we have a problem · Fermi problem · goat grazing problem · traveling purchaser problem · toy problem · Apollonius's problem · Kirkman's schoolgirl problem · moving sofa problem · Duhem-Quine problem · halting problem · horizon problem · a problem shared is a problem halved · First World problem · sunrise problem · many-body problem · Prouhet-Tarry-Escott problem · Chinese postman problem · you problem · drink problem · ABA problem · problem child · problem of universals · solution looking for a problem · Mercury retrograde problem · problemize · Cadillac problem · Thomson problem · birthday problem · is-ought problem · majority problem · problem gambling · n-body problem · year 2000 problem · problem-solve · sofa problem · Malfatti's problem · Newcomb's problem · behavior problem · C10M problem · nonidentity problem · art gallery problem · travelling salesman problem · Brocard's problem · year 2038 problem · subproblem · problem of Apollonius · initial-value problem · Kelvin problem · stable matching problem · principal-agent problem · Delian problem · problemist · file-drawer problem · problem bear · algorithmic problem · circle-ellipse problem · boy problems · Archimedes' problem · multiproblem · drug problem · core problem · kidnapped robot problem · Tiffany problem · problem-solver · fiscal problem · crossed ladders problem · knapsack problem · Rabi problem · champagne problem · snake-in-the-box problem · constant problem · problemise · stable marriage problem · Josephus problem · starlight problem · alcohol problem · drinking problem · problemsome · extended problem-solving · C10k problem · Y2K problem · quantum measurement problem · first world problem · nonproblem · eigenproblem · Monty Hall problem · wheat and chessboard problem · Zarankiewicz problem · open problem · mathematical problem · fairy problem · two-body problem · candy store problem · combination problem · binding problem · species problem · problem of evil · wicked problem · problem glasses · three body problem · four color problem · problemwise · problem solving · problemshed · problemsolver · C10K problem · travelling-salesman problem · assignment problem · stacker crane problem · Turán's brick factory problem · Parsons problem · problem solve · agency problem · Basel problem · Cauchy problem · scientific problem · Behrens-Fisher problem · final parsec problem · Gettier problem · frame problem · white bear problem · problem-reaction-solution · jealous husbands problem · Alhazen's problem · two envelopes problem · what's your problem · traveling-salesman problem · one-banana problem · optimization problem · Buffon's needle problem · solution in search of a problem · Heesch's problem · Dirichlet problem · goat problem · problem play · missionaries and cannibals problem · cannonball problem · three-pipe problem · fencepost problem · initial value problem · first-world problem · grounding problem · what is your problem · no problem · Molyneux's problem · teething problem · counterproblem · decision problem · pseudo-problem · macroproblem · Plato's problem · private language problem · alignment problem · double empathy problem · Moser's worm problem · diamond problem · problemette · museum problem · Sleeping Beauty problem · Galton's problem · move the problem · sleeping barber problem · trolley problem · is there a problem · last parsec problem · thundering herd problem · two children problem · logic problem · readers-writers problem · problem-solving · two child problem · measurement problem · Canadian traveller problem · traveling salesman problem · Gordan's problem · free-rider problem · illumination problem · word problem · XY problem · chicken-and-egg problem · problemed · problem page · problem statement · problemless · Waring's problem

Descendants

problem

Hypernyms

issue · obstacle · issue · obstacle · challenge · challenge

Hyponyms

Entscheidungsproblem

Relateds

problematic · problematize · problematical

Synonyms

rub · rub

Translations (280)

hil palaligban (difficulty) · hu gond (difficulty) · ko 문제 (difficulty) · yue 麻煩 /麻烦 (difficulty) · nn problem (difficulty) · mn хүндрэл (difficulty) · hu probléma (difficulty) · ja 課題 (schoolwork exercise) · ps کشاله (difficulty) · fi probleemi (difficulty) · da problem (difficulty) · cmn 習題 /习题 (schoolwork exercise) · hi मुश्किल (difficulty) · sv problem (schoolwork exercise) · vi vấn đề (difficulty) · bn প্রব্লাম্ (difficulty) · prs مَسْئَلَه (difficulty) · ur دِقَّت (difficulty) · hi समस्या (difficulty) · bn সমস্যা (difficulty) · eu arazo (puzzling circumstance) · swb taãɓu (difficulty) · sk problém (difficulty) · yue 難題 /难题 (difficulty) · el πρόβλημα (schoolwork exercise) · enm probleme (puzzling circumstance) · kmr mesele (difficulty) · ru зада́ча (puzzling circumstance) · om rakkina (difficulty) · fa-ira مُشْکِل (difficulty) · uk зада́ча (schoolwork exercise) · es ejercicio (schoolwork exercise) · ug مەسىلە (difficulty) · tl problema (difficulty) · af probleem (difficulty) · ba проблема (difficulty) · fa-ira مَسْئَلِه (schoolwork exercise) · cmn 困難 /困难 (difficulty) · nb utfordring (puzzling circumstance) · nb aber (difficulty) · sw tatizo (difficulty) · es problema (puzzling circumstance) · ang wiern (difficulty) · ga fadhb (difficulty) · ar مُشْكِلَة (difficulty) · cmn 課題 /课题 (schoolwork exercise) · eu arazo (difficulty) · tg масъала (difficulty) · kk проблема (difficulty) · sq çështje (difficulty) · hu példa (schoolwork exercise) · nap prubblema (difficulty) · ba мәсьәлә (puzzling circumstance) · sh jednàdžba (schoolwork exercise) · cs problém (difficulty) · et mõistatus (puzzling circumstance) · et probleem (difficulty) · ms masalah (difficulty) · pl zadanie (schoolwork exercise) · pl problem (difficulty) · bn সমস্যা (puzzling circumstance) · pt problema (difficulty) · ka სირთულე (difficulty) · sh pròblēm (puzzling circumstance) · yue 困難 /困难 (difficulty) · nb problem (difficulty) · wa arnåjhe (difficulty) · ms kesulitan (difficulty) · mwl porblema (difficulty) · ur مَسْئَلَہ (difficulty) · lv uzdevums (schoolwork exercise) · km ចំណោទ (difficulty) · hi दिक्कत (difficulty) · cmn 問題 /问题 (difficulty) · hi मसला (difficulty) · sa समस्या (difficulty) · prs مَسْئَلَه (schoolwork exercise) · es lío (puzzling circumstance) · bg пробле́м (difficulty) · wa aroke (difficulty) · fi pulma (puzzling circumstance) · yua toop (difficulty) · hy հարց (schoolwork exercise) · tr soru (schoolwork exercise) · gd staing (difficulty) · es lío (difficulty) · bn প্রব্লেম (puzzling circumstance) · hu nehézség (difficulty) · bn মুশকিল (difficulty) · nl probleem (puzzling circumstance) · sw masaibu (difficulty) · fr problème (schoolwork exercise) · ru зада́ча (schoolwork exercise) · bn ঝামেলা (puzzling circumstance) · sw masaibu (schoolwork exercise) · gl problema (difficulty) · is vandamál (difficulty) · bg зада́ча (schoolwork exercise) · ca problema (difficulty) · my ပြဿနာ (difficulty) · ar تَمْرِين (schoolwork exercise) · ky проблема (difficulty) · ar مَسْأَلَة (puzzling circumstance) · ceb kalisud (difficulty) · fi ongelma (difficulty) · sh про̀бле̄м (schoolwork exercise) · fi ongelma (puzzling circumstance) · tl problema (puzzling circumstance) · pt problema (schoolwork exercise) · af probleem (puzzling circumstance) · bn ঝামেলা (difficulty) · th โจทย์ (schoolwork exercise) · sh pròblēm (difficulty) · fr problème (difficulty) · et harjutus (schoolwork exercise) · ary مشكل (difficulty) · de Problem (difficulty) · sw masaibu (puzzling circumstance) · sh про̀бле̄м (difficulty) · gur yelle (puzzling circumstance) · oc problèma (difficulty) · cmn 難題 /难题 (difficulty) · he בְּעָיָה (difficulty) · es problema (difficulty) · sv uppgift (schoolwork exercise) · uk пробле́ма (difficulty) · an problema (difficulty) · ceb problema (puzzling circumstance) · uz muammo (difficulty) · mk тешко́тија (puzzling circumstance) · tk problema (difficulty) · ka ამოცანა (schoolwork exercise) · sh једна̀џба (schoolwork exercise) · nb oppgave (schoolwork exercise) · fi vaikeus (difficulty) · id masalah (difficulty) · lo ບັນຫາ (difficulty) · es embrollo (puzzling circumstance) · sh про̀бле̄м (puzzling circumstance) · bn প্রশ্ন (schoolwork exercise) · et kitsikus (difficulty) · grc πρόβλημα (schoolwork exercise) · gl problema (schoolwork exercise) · be зада́ча (schoolwork exercise) · el πρόβλημα (difficulty) · ru пробле́ма (puzzling circumstance) · yue 題目 /题目 (schoolwork exercise) · sh зада́так (schoolwork exercise) · ca problema (puzzling circumstance) · ro exercițiu (schoolwork exercise) · ky көйгөй (difficulty) · hu feladat (schoolwork exercise) · zdj shaka (difficulty) · ml പ്രശ്നം (difficulty) · mt problema (difficulty) · ru зада́ние (schoolwork exercise) · ia problema (schoolwork exercise) · enm probleme (schoolwork exercise) · nl probleem (schoolwork exercise) · it problema (difficulty) · uk завда́ння (schoolwork exercise) · bo རྙོག་དྲ (difficulty) · la problēma (puzzling circumstance) · wa rujhe (difficulty) · nrf problième (difficulty) · ur مُصِیبَت (difficulty) · el πρόβλημα (puzzling circumstance) · ur مُشْکِل (difficulty) · cmn 麻煩 /麻烦 (difficulty) · wa rascråwe (difficulty) · es dificultad (difficulty) · tk problem (difficulty) · aii ܡܘܼܫܟܸܠܵܐ (difficulty) · fi harjoitus (schoolwork exercise) · prs مُشْکِل (difficulty) · de Übung (schoolwork exercise) · uz masala (difficulty) · nrf problième (schoolwork exercise) · izh primera (schoolwork exercise) · sw tatizo (puzzling circumstance) · sh pròblēm (schoolwork exercise) · sv problem (difficulty) · yue 課題 /课题 (schoolwork exercise) · cmn 題目 /题目 (schoolwork exercise) · ps مسئله (difficulty) · aeb مشكل (difficulty) · mk про́блем (schoolwork exercise) · ja 問題 (difficulty) · bn অসুবিধা (difficulty) · be зада́нне (schoolwork exercise) · ga fadhb (schoolwork exercise) · ary مشكلة (difficulty) · nl oefening (schoolwork exercise) · hi प्रश्न (difficulty) · hi दिक़्क़त (difficulty) · tg проблема (difficulty) · mk тешко́тија (difficulty) · ky маселе (difficulty) · pt problema (puzzling circumstance) · gd duilgheadas (difficulty) · bn ভেজাল (difficulty) · af probleem (schoolwork exercise) · ja 問題 (schoolwork exercise) · lt problema (difficulty) · ko 문제 (schoolwork exercise) · ga fadhb (puzzling circumstance) · ms kemusykilan (difficulty) · eu buruketa (schoolwork exercise) · am ችግር (difficulty) · oc problèma (schoolwork exercise) · pt exercício (schoolwork exercise) · th เรื่อง (puzzling circumstance) · izh zadaci (schoolwork exercise) · mk за́дача (schoolwork exercise) · hy խնդիր (difficulty) · yue 習題 /习题 (schoolwork exercise) · az problem (difficulty) · br poelladenn (schoolwork exercise) · ast problema (schoolwork exercise) · eo problemo (difficulty) · hu baj (difficulty) · ka პრობლემა (difficulty) · sq problem (difficulty) · es problema (schoolwork exercise) · az məsələ (difficulty) · fi harjoitustehtävä (schoolwork exercise) · mi rarunga (difficulty) · tk mesele (difficulty) · nl probleem (difficulty) · izh reknatus (schoolwork exercise) · be прабле́ма (difficulty) · eu buruhauste (puzzling circumstance) · mn ᠬᠦᠨᠳᠦᠷᠡᠯ (difficulty) · es bronca (puzzling circumstance) · ro problemă (schoolwork exercise) · uz problema (difficulty) · wa problinme (schoolwork exercise) · kmr problem (difficulty) · et takistus (difficulty) · et küsimus (difficulty) · es problema (objection) · ary مصيبة (difficulty) · ca problema (schoolwork exercise) · kk мәселе (difficulty) · ba мәсьәлә (schoolwork exercise) · ro problemă (difficulty) · ga deacracht (difficulty) · grc ἀπορία (difficulty) · ro problemă (puzzling circumstance) · tt мәсьәлә (difficulty) · tg мушкил (difficulty) · lv problēma (difficulty) · mi rapanga (schoolwork exercise) · sl problem (difficulty) · tr sorun (difficulty) · th ปัญหา (difficulty) · sh zadátak (schoolwork exercise) · hil problema (difficulty) · es caucáu (objection) · ang hremming (difficulty) · mk про́блем (difficulty) · kab aɣbel (difficulty) · ru пробле́ма (difficulty) · wa asticote (difficulty) · mk про́блем (puzzling circumstance) · fa-ira مَسْئَلِه (difficulty) · sq zavall (difficulty) · tr problem (difficulty) · et mure (difficulty) · yue 問題 /问题 (difficulty) · ko 과제 (schoolwork exercise) · ba мәсьәлә (difficulty) · sv övning (schoolwork exercise) · br kudenn (difficulty) · hy խնդիր (schoolwork exercise) · pl kłopot (difficulty) · cy problem (difficulty) · yi פּראָבלעם (difficulty) · ast problema (difficulty) · tvl fakalavelave (difficulty)

problem en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [-bm̩] (General-American)
• (US) audio
• [-m̩] (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɒblɪm/ (Received-Pronunciation, dated)
• /-əm/ (General-American)
• /ˈpɹɑbləm/ (General-American)
• /-bəm/ (General-American, reduced)
• /ˈpɹɒbləm/ (Canada, Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek προ- (pro-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek προβάλλω (probállō) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma)bor. Latin problēmabor. Middle French problemebor. Middle English probleme English problem From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

Meanings

1. (nonstandard, transitive, uncommon) To problematize.
   • Now, if I thought he was there, it was that at some point in time he told me that's where he would be. If that's probleming you, it's not probleming me. 1989, United States, Congress, Senate, Impeachment Trial Committee on the Articles against Judge Alcee L. Hastings, Report of the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee on the Articles Against Judge Alcee L. Hastings, Hearings Before the Senate Impeachment Trial Committee, United States Senate, One Hundred First Congress, First Session, page 2341:

Forms