knotty issue

6.8

A difficult problem that is hard to solve

noun
/ˈnɑti ˈɪʃu/

: problema complicado

The team faced a knotty issue when trying to agree on the new project guidelines.

Oh, it's a knotty issue because there is so many.

Examples

Addressing climate change represents a knotty issue that requires cooperation from all countries.
Oh, it's a knotty issue because there is so many.

Club Random Podcast
Any effort by Republicans to solve knotty issues like immigration reform is bound to improve the party's abysmal standing with Latinos (and minorities generally).

Blog text (2)
Negotiating the peace treaty became a knotty issue due to conflicting interests among the parties involved.

Synonyms

problem

vsknotty issue

∞ 1.2

A situation that causes trouble and needs a solution

is more specific, highlighting unusual complexity or difficulty

complication

vsknotty issue

99 4.1

Something that makes a plan or situation harder to deal with

refers to the whole difficult problem rather than a single making factor

bind

vsknotty issue

Informal

68 6.5

A difficult situation that is hard to get out of

covers hard problems broadly, not only those that trap someone

conundrum

vsknotty issue

45 8.5

A confusing problem or question that is hard to solve

is broader, applying to practical problems, not only puzzling questions

snag

vsknotty issue

25 4.6

An unexpected problem that delays a plan

is broader, referring to whole difficult problems not just obstacles

quagmire

vsknotty issue

25 7.9

A difficult situation that is hard to escape or solve

is similar but often used simply for hard problems, not traps

sticker

vsknotty issue

Archaic

11 8.3

A question or problem that is hard to solve

is more general and includes nonpuzzling difficult problems

complex problem

vsknotty issue

11 4.9

A problem with many connected parts that is hard to solve

is similar but emphasises the practical hardness of solving it

tough going

vsknotty issue

Informal

4 5.3

A situation or task that is hard to do

is similar but stresses complexity rather than only effort

head-scratcher

vsknotty issue

Informal

4 7.7

A problem that is hard to understand or solve

is broader and covers hard practical problems as well as puzzles

tricky situation

vsknotty issue

4 3.7

A difficult situation that is hard to deal with

is more general and focuses on solving rather than awkwardness

snarl

vsknotty issue

3 7.7

A confused, complicated situation that is hard to understand

is broader, focusing on difficulty to solve rather than confusion alone

stumper

vsknotty issue

2 9.3

A question or problem that is very hard to answer

is wider, applying to practical problems not only hard questions

sticky mess

vsknotty issue

Informal

1 5.5

A difficult, unpleasant situation that is hard to fix

is similar but can be neutral rather than emotionally unpleasant

knotty situation

vsknotty issue

7.7

A difficult problem with no easy solution

is the same idea but often used for issues rather than situations

thorny challenge

vsknotty issue

7.4

A difficult problem that needs careful handling

is like this but stresses difficulty rather than cautious approach

tuffy

vsknotty issue

Informal

8.8

A difficult task that needs a lot of effort

is the standard term for such difficulties without informal tone

Antonyms

simple

∞ 1.0

Easy to understand or do

How Difficult

intractableness

9.9

knotty issue

6.8

challenge

∞ 3.1

problem

∞ 1.2

minor detail

6 3.2

Surface Forms

knotty issue singular

knotty issues plural

Morphology

knotty + issue

The meaning 'a complicated or difficult problem' is directly composed from 'knotty' (difficult, tangled) + 'issue' (problem); the adjective+noun structure transparently yields this interpretation. The metaphoric use of 'knot' to mean difficulty is conventional and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Knotty issue comes from the picture of a knot in wood or rope: wood with many knots is hard to cut or shape, and a rope full of knots is hard to untangle. So a knotty issue means a problem that is 'complicated' or 'hard to solve'.