Difficulty and Complexity: English Vocabulary List

to hold back or prevent something from being expressed, developed, or revealed

"She repressed her angry feelings completely."

"The authoritarian government used military force to repress the peaceful protests and arrested hundreds of demonstrators without any legal justification."

to cause disorder or disturbance in something that was previously orderly or calm

"The storm will disrupt the game."

"Unexpected technical failures can significantly disrupt the smooth operation of the entire production line."

to intentionally become involved in a difficult situation in order to improve it or prevent it from getting worse

"I will intervene now."

"The mediator decided to intervene in the dispute to prevent further escalation."

to disrupt the normal continuation or proper execution of a process or activity

"Do not interfere with my work."

"It is important that the investigators are allowed to work without any external parties attempting to interfere."

to create disturbances in electronic signals preventing them from being received

"The signal jammed the radio."

"The hackers attempted to jam the communication signals, hoping to disrupt the military's ability to coordinate their efforts."

to deliberately create challenges or difficulties that slow down or prevent the smooth advancement or development of something

"The fallen tree will obstruct the road."

"A fallen tree will obstruct the road until the cleanup crew arrives to remove it."

the intensity or degree of something challenging or impactful, such as pain, weather conditions, or any adverse circumstance

"The severity of the storm surprised everyone."

"The doctor explained the high severity of the illness and possible treatment options to the worried family members."

easy to comprehend or perform without any difficulties

"The answer is straightforward."

"The instructions for assembling the furniture were surprisingly straightforward, making the process quite simple."

carefully developed or executed with great attention to detail

"The design was elaborate."

"The wedding cake featured an elaborate, multi-tiered design adorned with intricate sugar flowers."

(of information) clear and easy for the audience to understand

"The report is digestible."

"The presenter made sure the complex scientific data was presented in a digestible format for the general audience."

characterized by difficulty or challenges, often used to describe a situation or experience

"It was rocky."

"The initial phase of the project was rocky, with unexpected technical difficulties and budget overruns."

difficult to comprehend due to being vague or hidden

"The path is obscure."

"The obscure path through the forest was hard to find without a guide."

with little difficulty or trouble

"She readily agreed to help."

"She readily agreed to help because she is always kind and generous with her time and resources."