🧗 an uphill battle
Concrete Meaning
A highly difficult struggle against unfavorable circumstances, requiring constant and exhausting effort.
💬 Context & Examples
Used to emphasize how hard it will be to achieve a goal because of heavy resistance, lack of resources, or systemic obstacles.
- "Convincing the executive board to approve this experimental budget is going to be an uphill battle."
- "Without a dedicated sales team, competing against established brands is an uphill battle."
🧠 Pattern Challenge
Test Yourself
If a task suddenly becomes incredibly easy because the resistance is gone, what opposite landscape metaphor might a native speaker use?
Show Answer
"It's all downhill from here" or "smooth sailing."