# uphill battle

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/uphill-battle
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A highly difficult task or problem that requires a great amount of effort and determination.

## Examples

- Learning a new language is an uphill battle.
- Trying to finish this project by tomorrow is an uphill battle, but we have to try.
- Despite the candidate's tireless efforts to win over the voters, the campaign remained an uphill battle against the established political powers.

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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.