problem 1 of 2

problem

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun problem differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of problem are enigma, mystery, puzzle, and riddle. While all these words mean "something which baffles or perplexes," problem applies to a question or difficulty calling for a solution or causing concern.

problems created by high technology

In what contexts can enigma take the place of problem?

While the synonyms enigma and problem are close in meaning, enigma applies to utterance or behavior that is very difficult to interpret.

his suicide remains an enigma

When could mystery be used to replace problem?

Although the words mystery and problem have much in common, mystery applies to what cannot be fully understood by reason or less strictly to whatever resists or defies explanation.

the mystery of the stone monoliths

Where would puzzle be a reasonable alternative to problem?

The words puzzle and problem are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, puzzle applies to an enigma or problem that challenges ingenuity for its solution.

the thief's motives were a puzzle for the police

When might riddle be a better fit than problem?

In some situations, the words riddle and problem are roughly equivalent. However, riddle suggests an enigma or problem involving paradox or apparent contradiction.

the riddle of the reclusive pop star

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of problem
Noun
Corday was married to actor Richard Long (Bourbon Street Beat, 77 Sunset Strip, The Big Valley, Nanny and the Professor) from 1957 until his death in 1974 at age 47 from heart problems. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2025 There is an even spread of success and failure, of ethnicities and inherited dysfunction, along with a predictable checklist of social problems endemic to deprivation. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 23 May 2025
Adjective
The staff is trained to address residents who show confused or problem behavior. San Diego Elder Law Center, sandiegouniontribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018 Many people might be surprised to learn that undocumented immigrants are not typically problem children. Ellen McGirt, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2017 See All Example Sentences for problem
Recent Examples of Synonyms for problem
Noun
  • For Survivor 50, viewers have been voting on how certain aspects of the game will play out, including twists, tribe colors, tribe swaps, immunity necklaces, supplies, the final four challenge, whether castaways should be given rice to eat, whether the fire-making should be axed and more.
    Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 2 June 2025
  • This would enable Israel, though belatedly, to join Trump's vision of a New Middle East, including normalization with Saudi Arabia, regional deployment to tackle the Iranian challenge, and participation in the trade corridor project from India through the Gulf to Europe.
    Ehud Barak, Time, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The question is whether college added much value—or simply served as a costly sorting mechanism.
    Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • Email recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to: [email protected] Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.
    Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • It’s advised to create accounts on both apps—WeChat and Alipay—well before your trip, as registering within China can be troublesome.
    Chris Schalkx, AFAR Media, 22 May 2025
  • The most troublesome loan in Donald Trump’s empire, a $115 million mortgage against a Wall Street skyscraper, comes due in exactly 46 days.
    Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • They were raised during the internet boom, financial decentralization, and the notion that digital identity and ownership matter.
    Chrissa McFarlane, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • Others, meanwhile, said family matters should be left for behind closed doors and not for public shaming.
    Stephanie Guerilus, People.com, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • One of its most intriguing, yet vexing, implications is that if all matter and forces are composed of vibrations of tiny strands, then this allows for a vast landscape of possible universes with different physical properties, varieties of particles and complex space-times.
    Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 29 May 2025
  • Our recipe for success is simple and proven: the federal government invests in research, and universities contribute their workforce, time, space, expertise, and interests to deliver solutions to the most vexing challenges of society.
    Charles L. Welch, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Humans inhale spores every day but most people won’t experience any health issues; their immune system clears them.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 24 May 2025
  • According to data from Downdetector, X's performance issues began to mount at roughly 8:20 a.m. ET this morning, peaking around 40 minutes later before slowly declining.
    Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • In another worrisome sign for Israel, the Trump administration recently negotiated the release of an Israeli American dual citizen, Edan Alexander, without the country’s involvement.
    Daniel Byman, The Atlantic, 24 May 2025
  • Grayson Rodriguez won’t be back until at least June and has a worrisome elbow and other injuries.
    Paul Bledsoe, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • From their early days on the Disney Channel to their happily ever afters with their significant others, these celebrities are now all grown up, married and in some cases, having kids of their own.
    Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 26 May 2025
  • New films include an untitled drama about the Elize Matsunaga case, in which Matsunaga killed and dismembered her husband—a case that was previously the subject of Netflix’s 2021 docuseries Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 26 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Problem.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/problem. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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