# problem

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹɒbləm/ · frequency rank #391

## Definitions
1. A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
2. A difficulty that has to be resolved or dealt with.
3. A question to be answered, schoolwork exercise.
4. A puzzling circumstance.
5. Objection.
6. Difficulty in accepting or understanding or refusal to accept or understand.
7. A set of moves required to complete a climb.

## Etymology
From Middle English probleme, from Middle French probleme, from Latin problēma, from Ancient Greek πρόβλημα (próblēma, “anything thrown forward, hindrance, obstacle, anything projecting, a headland, promontory”), from προβάλλω (probállō, “to throw or lay something in front of someone, to put forward”), from προ- (pro-, “in front of”) + βάλλω (bállō, “to throw, to cast, to hurl”). Doublet of problema.

## Easily confused with
- **problems** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/problem-vs-problems)
- **probe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/probe-vs-problem)

## Common misspellings (11)
`porblem`, `pproblem`, `prbolem`, `probblem`, `probelm`, `problemm`, `probllem`, `problme`, `prolbem`, `prroblem`, `rpoblem`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/problem