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Definitions

hard nut to crack

NOUN
can of worms
Synonyms
WEAK
Gordian knot Pandora's box complex problem complexity complication difficult situation difficulty dog's breakfast entanglement headache hornet's nest hot water mare's nest mess predicament problem quagmire quandary snafu snake pit snarl trouble troublesome problem unpredictable situation

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But he does stress that it’s a very hard nut to crack with limited upside.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

The $60 level proved a strong support and “is going to be a hard nut to crack now back to the upside,” he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Voice control is a hard nut to crack.

From The Verge • Apr. 24, 2022

This is actually a hard nut to crack and is something that will take time and many great minds to solve.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2019

If it’s for me, I’m a hard nut to crack; and I take it standing up.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.