# rough sledding

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/rough-sledding
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A difficult period of time.

## Examples

- Learning a new language is rough sledding at first.
- The team faced rough sledding during the first few months of the project because of the budget cuts.
- Despite his initial optimism, he soon discovered that navigating the complex bureaucracy of the new department would be rough sledding for the foreseeable future.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.