The noun DIFFICULTY is a common alternative to ’problem’:
The company is having some financial difficulties at the moment.
We can describe several problems as TROUBLE:
We’ve had a lot of trouble with the new computer system.
A small, temporary problem may be informally as a HITCH:
The ceremony went without a hitch.
A GLITCH is a problem that stops something from working properly:
We’ve had a few technical glitches, but I’m confident we’ll be ready on time.
A HURDLE or OBSTACLE is a problem that you need to deal with so that you can continue to make progress:
Getting a work permit is only the first hurdle.
There may be too many obstacles in the way of progress.
A PITFALL is a problem that is likely to happen in a particular situation.
It’s just one of the pitfalls of buying a house.
A SETBACK is a problem that makes something happen less quickly than it should:
The project has suffered a series of setbacks this year.
A SNAG is a small problem in something which is mostly good:
The only SNAG is the cost.