rough sledding
1
7.0
- noun
- Informal
Examples
-
But it looks like really rough sledding.
-
It was rough sledding, though, too rough to turn into a habit.
Fiction book (1992) -
He faced some rough sledding while trying to set up his new business, but he was determined to persevere.
-
After losing her job unexpectedly, she knew she was in for rough sledding as she searched for new employment.
-
Many students encountered rough sledding during the pandemic, but they managed to adapt with resilience and hard work.
Synonyms
522
2.9
A period when someone has difficulty or trouble
169
3.1
A period when someone faces problems or a lot of stress
96
3.1
A period when people have many problems with money or daily life
12
8.1
A period when someone has many problems to deal with
8
5.7
A time with many problems
7
5.3
A situation or task that is hard to do
2
3.9
A difficult time that is hard to get through
2
6.1
A time when someone has many problems and finds life difficult
Antonyms
How Difficult
127
4.8
- Informal
7
5.3
- Informal
1
7.0
- Informal
20
3.7
- Informal
18
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'rough' (difficult) applied to 'sledding' (a literal activity) creates a metaphorical extension where 'sledding' represents how smoothly progress occurs; the meaning 'a period of difficulty' is inferable from the parts but only via a figurative mapping. Because the connection relies on metaphor and not straightforward compositionality, it is partly transparent but not fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
The expression rough sledding may come from the image of a sled moving over very bumpy snow, where sledding over rough ground is slow and hard. So, the phrase now means 'a period of difficulty' or 'hard times' that you can get through with effort.