problematic

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌpɹɑ.bləˈmæt.ɪk/ UK /ˌpɹɒb.ləˈmæt.ɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #19008

Meanings

1

adj
Causing problems or difficulties.

Finding enough parking near the stadium is always problematic on match days.
2

adj
Open to doubt; uncertain or questionable.

His claim that the plan would save money is highly problematic.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · open to doubt; uncertain or... debatable

More complex complicated difficult involved troublesome

Opposites

unproblematic

Word family

Forms problematics

Derived forms metaproblematicmultiproblematicnonproblematicproblematicalproblematicallyproblematicityproblematicnessunproblematic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

problematic situation
a set of circumstances that is difficult to understand or resolve

Adjective + noun

Etymology

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.

problématique Middle French problematicus la-lat προβληματικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# problematic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌpɹɑ.bləˈmæt.ɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌpɹɒb.ləˈmæt.ɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 19008

## Meanings
1. Causing problems or difficulties.
2. Open to doubt; uncertain or questionable.

## Examples
- Finding enough parking near the stadium is always problematic on match days.
- His claim that the plan would save money is highly problematic.

## Synonyms
- complex
- complicated
- difficult
- involved
- troublesome

## Antonyms
- unproblematic

## Derived Forms
- metaproblematic
- multiproblematic
- nonproblematic
- problematical
- problematically
- problematicity
- problematicness
- unproblematic

## Related Forms
- problem

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: problématique
- Root: problematicus
- Root: προβληματικός

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Problematic is 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. The historical chain includes problématique (Middle French), problematicus (Late Latin), and προβληματικός (Ancient Greek). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as metaproblematic, multiproblematic, nonproblematic, and problematical and related forms such as problem. In present use it covers causing problems or difficulties and open to doubt; uncertain or questionable.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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