11+ Idioms for Difficult Task You Should Know!

Idioms for Difficult Task: Learning English idioms is one of the best strategies to enhance your English-speaking abilities. Idiomatic language is an essential component of learning English since it will improve your capacity for comprehension and interaction with proficient English speakers. The following list of 10 idioms for difficult tasks including their definitions and usage examples are mentioned below. Let’s explore!

An Uphill Battle

Meaning: A difficult and challenging task or situation that requires great effort to overcome.

Example: “Starting a new business during a recession is definitely an uphill battle, but with determination and hard work, success is possible.”

Biting off More than you can Chew

Meaning: To take on more responsibilities or tasks than one can handle.

Example: “I thought I could manage a full-time job, night classes, and a part-time internship, but I’ve clearly bitten off more than I can chew.“

Also Read: 150 Common: Difficult Idioms with Example

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Meaning: Stuck in a situation where you have to choose between two equally difficult options.

Example: “I’m between a rock and a hard place – if I lend my friend the money, I won’t be able to pay my bills, but if I don’t, our friendship might suffer.

A Tough Nut to Crack

Meaning: A difficult problem or person that is challenging to understand or solve.

Example: “The math puzzle in the competition was a tough nut to crack, but eventually, I figured it out.”

Also Read: Idioms for Beginners

Walking on Thin Ice

Meaning: Engaging in a risky or delicate situation that could easily lead to trouble or failure.

Example: “Confronting the boss about our team’s concerns is like walking on thin ice – we need to be careful with our words.”

In Hot Water

Meaning: In trouble or facing difficulties due to one’s actions or decisions.

Example: “After missing the deadline, I found myself in hot water with my supervisor.”

Climb a Steep Hill

Meaning: Undertake a challenging task that requires a lot of effort and determination.

Example: “Learning a new language is like climbing a steep hill, but the rewards are worth it.”

Also Read: Idioms for Teachers

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire:

Meaning: Escaping one difficult situation only to enter another that is equally or even more challenging.

Example: “She thought leaving her stressful job would solve her problems, but now she’s in a new one that’s just as demanding – it’s like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.”

Up a Creek Without a Paddle

Meaning: Being in a difficult or helpless situation with no easy way out.

Example: “I lost my phone and wallet on the way to the airport, so now I’m up a creek without a paddle.”

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Like Pulling Teeth

Meaning: Refers to a task or situation that is extremely difficult, frustrating, or time-consuming.

Example: “Getting my younger brother to do his homework is like pulling teeth – he just doesn’t want to cooperate.”

Tough Row to Hoe

Meaning: This expression means that the task ahead is going to be difficult.

Example: Starting a new business is a tough row to hoe however, with hard work and determination anything can be done.

Tall Order

Meaning: This means that the task at hand will be difficult to accomplish.

Example: It’s a tall order to expect the team to finish the project in one month.

Slippery Slope

Meaning: Used to describe a situation where one small event leads to another action or event.

Example: If we allow our children to watch television for one hour a day, it would be a slippery slope as they then start begging for more.

It’s a Long Shot

Meaning: It means that the chances of something happening are very slim.

Example: I know it’s a long shot, but I’m going to try to get tickets to the sold-out concert.

Close Call

Meaning: An event or a situation in which a person narrowly escapes injury or death.

Example: I almost missed my train, it was a close call.

Hard Sell

Meaning: To describe a situation where someone is trying to sell something aggressively.

Example: The investment advisor was giving us a hard sell, trying to get us invest in a high-rise stock.

To test your knowledge of idioms, we have compiled a few exercises which will help you.

Here are some more idioms for you. Check them out.

Explore more exciting reads below:

More from Idioms	More from Synonyms	More from Antonyms
Idioms to Express Sadness	Synonyms of Ephemeral	Antonyms of Misogyny
Idioms to Express Surprise	Synonyms of Welcome	Antonyms of Brave
Idioms to Express Friendship	Synonyms of Cry	Antonyms of Selfish
Idioms to Express Excitement	Synonyms of Huge	Antonyms of Victim
No Pain No Gain Meaning	Synonyms of Jovial	Antonyms of Lazy

This was all about the idioms for difficult task in the English language. To read more about idioms you can check our page at Leverage Edu.