problem
prob·lem/ˈpɹɑbləm/noun, adjective, verb
problem is spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M, 2 syllables: prob·lem. The wrong spelling people search most is probelm: about 20 Bing searches a month in the United States (September 2025 to August 2026), about 1 in 152 of all searches for the word. Problem is a noun meaning “A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with”. The plural of problem is problems.
How many letters and syllables are in problem?
| Letters | 7: P-R-O-B-L-E-M |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: prob·lem |
| In writing | 251 times per million words; the 387th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | 2; the most searched, probelm, about 20 Bing searches a month (all of them) |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).
How do you spell problem?
Problem is spelled P-R-O-B-L-E-M. 2 wrong spellings are searched or written often enough to measure; together they are about 1 in 101 of the searches for problem in either form.
Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026). Wrong spellings are taken from Wiktionary entries tagged "misspelling" and its obsolete or nonstandard forms, Wikipedia's Lists of common misspellings and the codespell dictionary, then measured. The proofreader's marks show the change that corrects each one.
How common is problem?
Problem appears 251 times per million words in written English, the 387th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce problem?
- UK /ˈpɹɒbləm/
- UK /ˈpɹɒblɪm/
- US /ˈpɹɑbləm/
Problem has 2 syllables, split prob·lem in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-problem.wav, En-us-problem.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of problem
- problems plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- pro'lem
- more problem comparative
- most problem superlative
- probleming participle, present
- problemed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does problem mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
She's leaving because she faced numerous problems to do with racism.
- 2
An addiction, other substance use disorder, or comparable psychological challenge.
I think he has a gambling problem. Lending him money will probably only make it worse.
- 3
A question to be answered, schoolwork exercise.
Study hard, but don't overdo it. The problems in the exam won't be difficult to solve.
- 4
A puzzling circumstance.
- 5
Objection.
You got a problem with that?
- 6
Difficulty in accepting or understanding or refusal to accept or understand.
You made your best honest effort; if they judge you harshly, that’s their problem, not yours.
- 7
A set of moves required to complete a climb.
adjective
- 1
Of a person or an animal, difficult to train or guide; unruly.
- 2
Causing a problem; problematic; troublesome.
verb
- 1
nonstandardTo problematize.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate problem?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of problem: prob.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Problem in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | problème |
| German | Problem , Übung |
| Portuguese | problema , exercício |
| Spanish | problema, dificultad, lío , ejercicio |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.