When you come across a difficulty vs When you come across a challenge

Both phrases are correct and commonly used in English. They can be used interchangeably to convey the idea of encountering a problem or obstacle. The choice between 'difficulty' and 'challenge' may depend on the specific context or the tone you want to convey.

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Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 24, 2025 • 6286 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to encountering a problem or obstacle.

"When you come across a difficulty"

This phrase is used to describe the situation when someone encounters a problem, obstacle, or something that is hard to deal with.

Show examples from the web [+]

When you come across a wounded buck, the sporting thing to do is shoot it.
In the field of management we may come across difficulties in payments, despite the fact that year after year we have a surplus.
Still, when you come across a person who's lost something that really matters, you have to answer the call.
Because when you come across a spooky ancient ruine, you say
And when you come across someplace safe, you hide.
You come across a guy named Greg?
Did you come across a guy named Alexander Desmerais?
Except this time you come across a pair of panties on the floor... soiled.
Climb the third mountain until you come across a pond.
Every time you come across a trash can... you find something good.
These are the kind of people you come across when you work in a bar.
You walk all night, and in the morning you come across a cabin, and hear a girl screaming inside.
Have you come across a similar circumstance?
When you dedicate your life to studying the outer reaches of the universe, you come across your fair share of crazies.
'When you come across an extraordinary student like yourself... pass it onto him'
What did you come across when you went inside, Sheriff?
Now look here... you come across a rattlesnake or a bear or a chupacabra, you use this and give them what for.
How often you come across a 3-headed dog even if you're in the trade?
The default User Agent header for & konqueror; is Mozilla/ 5.0(compatible; Konqueror/ 3.2)(KHTML, like Gecko). If you come across a site that refuses this browser access, change your User Agent to one of the options below.
When you were going through the Jai Alai footage in Corrinne's office, did you come across anything with Lori and Troy together?

Alternatives:

when you encounter a difficulty
when you face a difficulty
when you confront a difficulty
when you deal with a difficulty
when you tackle a difficulty

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to encountering a problem or obstacle.

"When you come across a challenge"

This phrase is used to describe the situation when someone encounters a problem, obstacle, or something that requires effort and skill to overcome.

Show examples from the web [+]

It is because this report rejects that way of thinking and because it comes across as a challenge to take action with workable objectives and proposals, most of which I agree with, that I have supported it.
When you come across a wounded buck, the sporting thing to do is shoot it.
Still, when you come across a person who's lost something that really matters, you have to answer the call.
Because when you come across a spooky ancient ruine, you say
And when you come across someplace safe, you hide.
You come across a guy named Greg?
Did you come across a guy named Alexander Desmerais?
Except this time you come across a pair of panties on the floor... soiled.
Climb the third mountain until you come across a pond.
Every time you come across a trash can... you find something good.
These are the kind of people you come across when you work in a bar.
You walk all night, and in the morning you come across a cabin, and hear a girl screaming inside.
Have you come across a similar circumstance?
When you dedicate your life to studying the outer reaches of the universe, you come across your fair share of crazies.
'When you come across an extraordinary student like yourself... pass it onto him'
What did you come across when you went inside, Sheriff?
Now look here... you come across a rattlesnake or a bear or a chupacabra, you use this and give them what for.
How often you come across a 3-headed dog even if you're in the trade?
The default User Agent header for & konqueror; is Mozilla/ 5.0(compatible; Konqueror/ 3.2)(KHTML, like Gecko). If you come across a site that refuses this browser access, change your User Agent to one of the options below.
When you were going through the Jai Alai footage in Corrinne's office, did you come across anything with Lori and Troy together?

Alternatives:

when you encounter a challenge
when you face a challenge
when you confront a challenge
when you deal with a challenge
when you tackle a challenge

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When you come across a difficulty vs When you come across a challenge

"When you come across a difficulty"

"When you come across a challenge"

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