problematic

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Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˌpɹɒbləˈmætɪk/
• (America) IPA: /ˌpɹɑbləˈmætɪk/

Adjective

1. Posing a problem; having or suffering from problem(s):
   1. Difficult to overcome, solve, or decide.
      • 2010, The Future of Energy Use:

        However, estimating what consumers will pay in the future is problematic.

   2. Not settled, uncertain, of uncertain outcome; debatable, questionable, open to doubt.

      a problematic analysis

      it portends a problematic future for the movement

   3. Contributing (usually implicitly or subtly) to systemic discrimination (such as racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia).
      • 2015 April 10, Paige Tutt, [//www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/10/how-apples-new-multicultural-emojis-are-more-racist-than-before/ Apple’s new diverse emoji are even more problematic than before: Racialized emoji insert race into texts and tweets where it never would have arisen before]

Synonyms

• (posing a problem): difficult, troublesome, complicated, complex, involved
• (open to debate): doubtful, dubious, questionable, controversial, uncertain
• (contributing to systemic discrimination): offensive, politically incorrect, discriminatory, kyriarchal

Related terms

• problem

Translations

• French: problématique
• German: problematisch
• Russian: проблемати́чный

Translations

• French: problématique
• Russian: проблемати́чный

Noun

problematic (plural problematics)

1. (chiefly, in the plural) A problem or difficulty in a particular field of study.

Translations

• French: problématique
• German: Problematik
• Russian: проблематика
• Spanish: problemática

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