Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Problematic |
ProblematicAdjective1. Open to doubt or debate; "If you ever get married, which seems to be extremely problematic". 2. Making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "problematic" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1781. (references) |
Synonyms: ProblematicSynonyms: baffling (adj), debatable (adj), knotty (adj), problematical (adj). (additional references) |
Crosswords: Problematic |
| English words defined with "problematic": baffling ♦ knotty ♦ problematical. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "problematic": Telecommunications Device for the Deaf. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Problematic" is also a word in the following language with English translations in parentheses. Romanian (doubtful, problematic, problematical, problematically). |
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Books |
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Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | For many Americans, access to LTC services is problematic. (references) | |
Individuals learn to identify and correct problematic behaviors. (references) | ||
Failure recognition is particularly problematic in young children. (references) | ||
Business | For some, however, it can be problematic. (references) | |
Most Swedes speak fluent English and cultural differences are not significant enough to be problematic. (references) | ||
One of the most problematic regions in Northwest Russia in terms of water treatment is the Archangelsk Region. (references) | ||
Children | Jordan | Activists reported that the GID sometimes withholds these certificates from deserving students due to a family member's allegedly problematic record. (references) |
Civil Liberties | Cameroon | Circulation is low, distribution is problematic outside of Yaounde and Douala, and prices are high. (references) |
Mozambique | The return of church property is problematic when the facility is in use as a public school, health clinic, or police station, because funds for construction of new facilities are in short supply. (references) | |
Economic History | Nepal | The government faces the difficult task of establishing a basis for sustained growth (through hydropower development, tourism and exports) while dealing with the potentially problematic financial imbalances that have emerged in recent years in the fiscal accounts. (references) |
Poland | More problematic are the loss-making industries still in state hands, including the railroad, coal mines, steel mills and defense plants. (references) | |
Peru | Dispute settlement continues to be problematic in Peru. (references) | |
Human Rights | Panama | Conditions at La Joyita remain problematic, including inmate claims of severe overcrowding, poor sanitation and abuses by prison custodians against inmates. (references) |
Brazil | His first actions were to empty the most problematic FEBEM facility, Parelheiros, and follow up on complaints of maltreatment by both FEBEM guards and inmates. (references) | |
Morocco | The absence of appeals for defendants in such crimes therefore becomes more problematic given the fact that an investigation into the case by an examining magistrate is mandatory only in those crimes punishable by sentences of life imprisonment or death. (references) | |
Political Economy | UKRAINE | However, foreign firms need to develop cautious and long-term strategies that take into full account the problematic commercial environment. (references) |
POLAND | The adoption of EU compatible patent legislation and the re-registration of Polish pharmaceuticals according to EU-compatible criteria are problematic issues in Poland's accession process. (references) | |
BAHRAIN | Software piracy remain problematic. (references) | |
Political Rights | Algeria | Under a system of proportional representation, the government-supported party, the National Democratic Rally (RND) won a plurality of 154 seats out of a total of 371. In their final report, neutral observers stated that, of the 1,258 (of the country's 35,000) voting stations that they assessed, 1,169 produced satisfactory results, 95 were problematic, and 11 were unsatisfactory. (references) |
Trade | Poland | Though still much opposed by foreign business, the system itself has not proven problematic (owing to the stability of the zloty). (references) |
Taiwan | Lack of timely and effective arbitration procedures prevents satisfactory resolution of contract disputes, and force majeure clauses are highly problematic. (references) | |
Travel | Albania | Armed crime is particularly problematic in Shkoder and other towns in northern Albania. (references) |
Worker Rights | China | At the local level and at the actual mine sites, however, national policies are enforced by local authorities, making consistent administration of directives problematic. (references) |
China | In localities and at the actual mine sites, national policies are enforced by local authorities, making consistent administration of directives problematic. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Problematic" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Problematic" is used about 748 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 100% | 748 | 9,115 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Hypenated Usage | |
Ending with "problematic": non-problematic. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
problematic | 9 |
assessment educational jarvis objective problematic | 3 |
motivation people problematic | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "problematic"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | problematik (problem), i dyshimtë (dingy, dodgy, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, fishy, left handed, misgiving, moot, precarious, queer, suspect, suspicious, unassured, uncertain, unreliable, wildcat), i diskutueshëm (contentious, controversial, debatable, litigious, moot, outstanding, questionable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | معضل, مريب (doubtful, dubious, dubitable, equivocal, fishy, jack, queer, questionable, suspicious), غير ثابت (movable, precarious, rocky, tenuous, unsound), صعب حله (intricate). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | съмнителен (alleged, ambiguous, amphibious, dingy, disputable, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, fishy, fly-by-night, hedge, hole-and-corner, indeterminate, moot, off beat, phoney, precarious, queer, questionable, screwy, seedy, shady, shaky, suspect, suspicious, uncertain, unsure, vague), спорен (argumentative, attackable, contentious, controversial, debatable, disputable, litigious, moot, outstanding), несигурен (build on sand, chancy, dangerous, disputable, dubious, equivocal, faltering, halting, insecure, irresolute, long, pendulous, precarious, queasy, risky, rocky, shaky, slippy, suspensive, tentative, top heavy, tottery, treacherous, uncertain, uneasy, unreliable, unresolved, unsafe, unsettled, unsound, unsteady, unsure, untrustworthy, variable, versatile, wonky), нерешен (at a loose end, drawn, in suspense, open, undecided, undetermined, unresolved, unsettled, unsolved), проблематичен (contingent, sticky). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 疑难. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | problematický (difficult, dubious, objectionable, problematical, questionable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | مسلله ای(problematical), گیج کننده (Hectic, Stickler, Stunner), حیرت اور (Marvelous, Prodigious, Stupendous, Wondrous), غامض (Abstruse, Knotty, Unintelligible). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | ongelmallinen (involved, puzzling), arvoituksellinen (enigmatic, puzzling). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | problématique (problematical). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | problematisch (problematical, questionable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | προβληματικόσ (doubtful, problematical, probleo). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | פרובלמטי, בעיתי. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | problematikus (problematical, questionable), kérdéses (at issue, equivocal, in question, pending, questionable, vexed), bonyolult (complex, complicated, difficult, elaborate, inextricable, intricate, involute, involved, knotty, mazy, thorny, tricky). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | problematico. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 문 (Problem). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | keishtagh (interrogative, interrogatory, problematical, puzzling), feyshtagh (catechetical, interrogative, problematical, questioning), crampagh (pestilential, problematical). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | oblematicpray problemático (questionable), possível (achievable, attainable, coming, earthen, earthly, feasible, likely, plausible, possible, prospective), incerto (borderline, chancy, double-minded, doubtful, doubting, dubious, fitful, floating, hazardous, incalculable, inconstant, insecure, kittle, lubricous, precarious, questionable, risky, shaky, shifting, slippery, slippy, tottery, touch and go, touch-and-go, unassured, uncertain, undecided, unreliable, unsettled, unstable, unsure), discutível (arguable, controversial, debatable, doubtful, litigable, moot, questionable). (various references) problematic (doubtful, problematical, problematically). (various references) гадательный (conjectural). (various references) problematičan (conjectural, problem, troubled). (various references) problemático (problem, problematical). (various references) problematisk, tvivelaktig (doubtful, dubious, dubitable, equivocal, exceptionable, fishy, iffy, moot, questionable, shady). (various references) sorunsal (problematical), kuşku uyandıran (problematical), şüpheli (chancy, contestable, creaky, debatable, discredited, disputable, dodgy, doubtful, dubious, dubitative, equivocal, fishy, funny, funny peculiar, hazardous, indecisive, indefinable, murky, nebulous, precarious, problematical, sceptical, screwy, shadowy, shady, shaky, skeptical, speculative, suspect, suspenseful, suspicious, umbrageous, uncertain, unconvincing). (various references) сумнівний (apocryphal, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, indeterminate, naughty, off color, off colour, precarious, problematical, queer, risky, shady, uncertain), загадковий (baffling, enigmatic, enigmatical, oracular, oraculous, problematical), проблематичний (problematical). (various references) mơ h" (dark, darkly, dubious, foggy, indefinable, intangible, problematical, undefined, vague), còn phải b n; không chắc (problematical). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "problematic": problematical, problematically, problematics. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "problematic": unproblematic. (additional references) | |
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"Problematic" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: problamatic, problematics, problematises, problemmatic. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "problematic" (pronounced prÄ'bluma"tik) |
| 8 | -b l u m a" t i k | emblematic. |
| 7 | -l u m a" t i k | diplomatic, undiplomatic. |
| 6 | -u m a" t i k | aromatic, asymptomatic, automatic, axiomatic, cinematic, diagrammatic, dramatic, idiomatic, mathematic, melodramatic, programmatic, psychosomatic, schematic, semiautomatic, symptomatic, systematic. |
| 5 | -m a" t i k | asthmatic, charismatic, climatic, dogmatic, enigmatic, enzymatic, monochromatic, numismatic, pneumatic, posttraumatic, pragmatic, prismatic, rheumatic, thematic, traumatic. |
| 4 | -a" t i k | acrobatic, aerobatic, aristocratic, attic, autocratic, bureaucratic, democratic, ecstatic, electrostatic, emphatic, erratic, fanatic, hepatic, homeostatic, idiosyncratic, lymphatic, operatic, pancreatic, phosphatic, prostatic, static, technocratic, theocratic, undemocratic. |
| 3 | -t i k | acetic, acoustic, aesthetic, agnostic, alphabetic, altruistic, amniotic, anachronistic, analytic, anesthetic, antagonistic, Antarctic, antibiotic, antic, anticlimactic, antiseptic, aortic, apathetic, apocalyptic, apologetic, apoplectic, aquatic, arctic, arithmetic, arthritic, artistic, ascetic, astronautic, atavistic, atheistic, athletic, authentic, autistic, ballistic, bombastic, capitalistic, catalytic, cathartic, caustic, chaotic, characteristic, chauvinistic, chiropractic, climactic, coloristic, cosmetic, critic, cryptic, cultic, cystic, dendritic, despotic, deterministic, diabetic, diagnostic, dialectic, diamagnetic, didactic, dietetic, diuretic, domestic, drastic, drumstick, dualistic, dynastic, ecclesiastic, eclectic, ecliptic, elastic, electrolytic, electromagnetic, emetic, empathetic, energetic, enthusiastic, epigenetic, epileptic, erotic, euphemistic, evangelistic, exotic, expressionistic, extragalactic, fantastic, fatalistic, ferromagnetic, feudalistic, fiberoptic, frantic, frenetic, futuristic, galactic, genetic, geomagnetic, gigantic, granitic, gymnastic, halophytic, hectic, hedonistic, hemolytic, heretic, hermaphroditic, holistic, homiletic, humanistic, hyperkinetic, hypnotic, iconoclastic, idealistic, idiotic, imperialistic, impressionistic, individualistic, inelastic, interscholastic, jingoistic, journalistic, kinesthetic, kinetic, lactic, legalistic, linguistic, logistic, magnetic, majestic, masochistic, materialistic, mechanistic, militaristic, monastic, monopolistic, moralistic, mystic, narcissistic, narcotic, nationalistic, naturalistic, neritic, neurotic, novelistic, oligopolistic, onomastic, opportunistic, optic, optimistic, orthodontic, pantheistic, paralytic, paramagnetic, parasitic, parasympathetic, parthenogenetic, paternalistic, pathetic, patriotic, patristic, pectic, pedantic, peptic, peripatetic, pessimistic, phonetic, plastic, pluralistic, poetic, polytheistic, porphyritic, primitivistic, propagandistic, prophetic, prophylactic, prosthetic, psychoanalytic, psychotherapeutic, psychotic, puristic, quixotic, realistic, relativistic, ritualistic, robotic, romantic, rustic, sadistic, sarcastic, scholastic, semantic, semiotic, sensationalistic, septic, simplistic, skeptic, socialistic, statistic, stylistic, surrealistic, sycophantic, symbiotic, sympathetic, synergistic, synthetic, tactic, terroristic, therapeutic, thermoplastic, thrombolytic, transatlantic, triptych, unapologetic, unauthentic, uncharacteristic, unenthusiastic, unpatriotic, unrealistic, unsympathetic, voyeuristic. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-b-c-e-i-l-m-o-p-r-t" | |
-1 letter: compatible, importable. | |
-2 letters: ametropic, cabriolet, metabolic, preatomic, precoital. | |
-3 letters: albicore, amitrole, beclamor, boracite, braciole, brocatel, cabriole, capriole, combater, compiler, compleat, complier, copremia, erotical, impacter, impactor, laborite, leprotic, loricate, mercapto, metrical, operatic, partible, particle, pectoral, petiolar, petrolic, picloram, poetical, portable, prelatic, proclaim, proemial, rolamite, temporal, tropical. | |
-4 letters: aerobic, alembic, aloetic, amoebic, apomict, apricot, aprotic, article. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-b-c-e-i-l-m-o-p-r-t" | |
+1 letter: problematics. | |
+2 letters: problematical, unproblematic. | |
+3 letters: computerizable, hypermetabolic. | |
+4 letters: comparabilities, hypercatabolism, problematically. | |
+5 letters: hypercatabolisms. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Quotations: Non-fiction 6. Usage Frequency 7. Expressions 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Derivations 11. Rhymes 12. Anagrams | 13. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
