5
strenuous(adjective, hard, severe, rough, difficult)
5
uphill(adjective, hard, tough, severe, rough)
5
warped(adjective, gnarled)
4
Daedalian(adjective, simple)
4
confusing(adjective, hard, complex, tricky, complicated)
4
effortful(adjective, hard, tough, severe, rough)
4
entangled(adjective, hard, fancy, obscure, difficult)
4
mazy(adjective, troublesome)
4
obscure(adjective, hard, difficult, complex, sophisticated)
4
onerous(adjective, hard, tough, severe, rough)
4
recondite(adjective, hard, fancy, evil, obscure)
4
terrible(adjective, tough, rough, difficult, heavy)
4
wearying(adjective, tough, rough, difficult, heavy)
4
winding
3
confused
3
crooked
3
debatable(adjective, tricky, sticky, challenging)
3
dense(adjective, difficult, complex, involved, complicated)
3
distorted(adjective, gnarled)
3
harsh(adjective, hard, rough, difficult, coarse)
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APASmart Define. (2015). knotty thesaurus. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://smartdefine.org/knotty/thesaurus/synonyms
ChicagoSmart Define. 2015. "knotty thesaurus" https://smartdefine.org/knotty/thesaurus/synonyms (accessed September 24, 2026).
HarvardSmart Define 2015, knotty thesaurus, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <https://smartdefine.org/knotty/thesaurus/synonyms>.
MLASmart Define. "knotty thesaurus" 14 April 2015. Web. 24 September 2026. <https://smartdefine.org/knotty/thesaurus/synonyms>