problem
noun
1 problem
A state of difficulty that needs to be resolved:
— She and her husband are having problems.
— Urban problems such as traffic congestion and smog.
synonym: job.
Roget 461:
inquiry;
request
etc.
765;
search,
research,
quest,
pursuit
etc.
622.
examination,
review,
scrutiny,
investigation,
indagation†;
perquisition†,
perscrutation†,
pervestigation†;
inquest,
inquisition;
exploration;
exploitation,
ventilation.
sifting;
calculation,
analysis,
dissection,
resolution,
induction;
Baconian method†.
strict inquiry,
close inquiry,
searching inquiry,
exhaustive inquiry;
narrow search,
strict search;
study
etc.
(consideration)
451.
scire facias [Lat.],
ad referendum;
trial.
questioning
etc.
v.;
interrogation,
interrogatory;
interpellation;
challenge,
examination,
cross-examination,
catechism;
feeler,
Socratic method,
zetetic philosophy†;
leading question;
discussion
etc.
(reasoning)
476.
reconnoitering,
reconnaissance;
prying
etc.
v.;
espionage,
espionnage [Fr.];
domiciliary visit,
peep behind the curtain;
lantern of Diogenes.
question,
query,
problem,
desideratum,
point to be solved,
porism†;
subject of inquiry,
field of inquiry,
subject of controversy;
point in dispute,
matter in dispute;
moot point;
issue,
question at issue;
bone of contention
etc.
(discord)
713;
plain question,
fair question,
open question;
enigma
etc.
(secret)
533;
knotty point
etc.
(difficulty)
704;
quodlibet;
threshold of an inquiry.
[person who questions]
inquirer,
investigator,
inquisitor,
inspector,
querist†,
examiner,
catechist;
scrutator scrutineer scrutinizer†;
analyst;
quidnunc [Lat.]
etc.
(curiosity)
455.
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Roget 533:
secret;
dead secret,
profound secret;
arcanum†,
mystery;
latency
etc.
526;
Asian mystery†;
sealed book,
secrets of the prison house;
le desous des cartes [Fr.].
enigma,
riddle,
puzzle,
nut to crack,
conundrum,
charade,
rebus,
logogriph†;
monogram,
anagram;
Sphinx;
crux criticorum [Lat.].
maze,
labyrinth,
Hyrcynian wood;
intricacy,
meander.
problem
etc.
(question)
461;
paradox
etc.
(difficulty)
704;
unintelligibility
etc.
519;
terra incognita
etc.
(ignorance)
491.
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Roget 454:
subject of thought,
material for thought;
food for the mind,
mental pabulum.
subject,
subject matter;
matter,
theme,
noemata [Gr.],
topic,
what it is about,
thesis,
text,
business,
affair,
matter in hand,
argument;
motion,
resolution;
head,
chapter;
case,
point;
proposition,
theorem;
field of inquiry;
moot point,
problem
etc.
(question)
461.
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Dutch: oefening, opgaaf, vraagstuk, kwestie, probleem
2 problem
A question raised for consideration or solution.
Dutch: moeilijkheid, troubles
Polish: kwestia, punkt, zagwozdka, zagadnienie, pytanie, problem
3 problem
A source of difficulty:
— What's the problem?.
synonym: trouble.
Dutch: probleem, probleemstelling, problematiek
Moby thesaurus: Chinese puzzle, ado, aggravation, annoyance, anxiety, bad news, baffle, bafflement, baffling problem, basis, bedevilment, besetment, bewilderment, blemish, bone of contention, bore, bother, botheration, bothersomeness, brain twister, bug, bugaboo, bugbear, burden, can of worms, case, catch, catechism, chapter, complication, concern, confoundment, confusion, conundrum, count, crack, crashing bore, cross-interrogatory, cross-question, crossword puzzle, crux, debating point, defect, defection, deficiency, delinquent, demand, devilment, difficult, difficulty, dilemma, disadvantage, discomposure, disconcert, disconcertedness, disconcertion, disconcertment, disturbance, disturbed, dogging, downer, drag, drawback, embarrassment, enigma, enigmatic question, essence, evil, exasperation, facer, failing, failure, fault, faute, feeler, fix, flaw, floorer, focus of attention, focus of interest, foible, frailty, gist, great ado, harassment, harrying, head, headache, heading, hole, hounding, illustration, imbroglio, imperfection, inadequacy, inconvenience, incorrigible, infirmity, inquiry, interrogation, interrogative, interrogatory, intractable, issue, jam, jigsaw puzzle, kink, knot, knotty point, leader, leading question, little problem, living issue, main point, maladjusted, matter, matter in hand, meat, mess, mind-boggler, molestation, moot point, motif, motive, muddle, mystery, nonplus, nuisance, nut, nut to crack, obstreperous, peck of troubles, perplexed question, perplexity, persecution, perturbation, pest, pickle, plight, point, point at issue, point in question, poser, pother, predicament, pretty pickle, puzzle, puzzlement, puzzler, quandary, query, question, question at issue, question mark, quodlibet, refractory, riddle, rift, rubric, scrape, sea of troubles, shortcoming, sixty-four dollar question, snag, something missing, stew, sticker, stumper, subject, subject matter, subject of thought, substance, taint, text, theme, topic, tough proposition, trial, trial balloon, trouble, unassuredness, uncontrollable, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, upset, vexation, vexatiousness, vexed question, vulnerable place, weak link, weak point, weakness, why, worriment, worry ... show more.
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