problematic
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.causing a problem or being difficult to deal with.
adj.constituting or presenting a problem or difficulty. Often used to describe logistical or practical complications.
Simple“The lack of public transport in the area makes getting to work problematic.”
In context“The project's timeline became increasingly problematic as several key suppliers failed to meet their delivery obligations during the peak season.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.containing ideas that are unfair or offensive to certain groups of people.
adj.presenting social, moral, or ethical issues that require critical examination. Frequently used in academic and social justice contexts to identify bias.
Simple“Many people find the jokes in that old movie to be problematic today.”
In context“Scholars have argued that the author's portrayal of colonial history is deeply problematic due to its erasure of indigenous perspectives.”
SynonymsAntonymsacceptableunobjectionable - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.not certain to happen or not definitely true.
adj.open to doubt or debate; not settled or certain. In logic, it refers to a proposition that is possible but not necessarily true.
Simple“Whether the new law will actually reduce crime remains problematic.”
In context“The evidence provided by the witness was considered problematic by the defence, as it contradicted several established facts of the case.”
Antonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a group of related problems or questions in a specific area of study.
n.a set of problems or a particular area of difficulty within a field of inquiry. Often used in sociology or philosophy to describe a framework of issues.
Simple“The professor explained the social problematic of urban poverty.”
In context“The research paper attempts to address the complex problematic of sustainable development in rapidly industrialising nations.”
Synonyms
Usage particularly problematic · potentially problematic
“Think the Vapors’ Turning Japanese, David Bowie’s China Girl, and the massively problematic Asian Girlz by LA band Day Above Ground.”
“Other drugs such as lithium or statins can become more concentrated and problematic in the blood if there is too much fluid loss.”
Borrowed from Middle French problématique, from Late Latin problematicus, from Ancient Greek προβληματικός (problēmatikós), from πρόβλημα (próblēma, “outjutting, barrier, problem”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “I throw, place before”), from πρό (pró, “before”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw, place”). By surface analysis, problem + -atic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.