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The most common synonyms for issues are problems, concerns, difficulties and complications when you mean something going wrong, and topics, matters or questions when you mean subjects to discuss. For a magazine, the synonym is edition or number.
“Issue” is a useful word partly because it is vague: “we have an issue” sounds calmer than “we have a problem”. When you replace it, you usually become more precise, so the right synonym depends on which meaning you have in mind. The groups below cover each one, with example sentences and notes on tone.
When issues means problems
This is the meaning most people are looking for. The synonyms differ in how serious and how specific they sound.
| Synonym | Best for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| problems | The plain, direct word. | We had a few problems with the new booking system. |
| concerns | Worries someone has raised; polite and soft. | Several parents raised concerns about the bus times. |
| difficulties | Things that make progress hard; formal. | The company is in financial difficulties. |
| complications | Something that makes a situation more complex, often unexpectedly. | There were complications with the visa application. |
| challenges | Problems framed as things to overcome; can sound like spin if overused. | The main challenges are cost and staffing. |
| obstacles, hurdles | Things standing in the way of a goal. | The last hurdle is planning permission. |
| setbacks | Events that push progress backwards. | The project survived two major setbacks. |
| snags, hitches | Small, unexpected problems; informal. | The launch went off without a hitch. |
| glitches, bugs | Faults in technology or software. | A glitch in the app logged everyone out. |
| trouble | General problems; uncountable in this sense. | I’m having trouble with my laptop. |
| flaws, defects | Faults built into something. | The report found defects in the brakes. |
| risks | Problems that might happen. | We need to flag these risks before we sign. |
Tone tip. In workplace English, “issue” is often chosen to sound neutral. Swapping it for “problem” makes you sound more direct; swapping it for “concern” makes you sound more careful about the other person’s feelings. Both are fine; choose on purpose. “Challenges” is the softest, and readers notice when it hides a real problem.
When issues means topics or questions
In “the key issues in the election” or “issues to discuss at the meeting”, the word means subjects that people care about or disagree on.
- topics – neutral: We covered three topics in the meeting.
- matters – formal: Any other matters before we close?
- questions – when something needs an answer or a decision: the question of funding.
- points – specific items in an argument or agenda: She made two strong points.
- subjects, themes – for writing and study: The novel’s main themes are loyalty and exile.
- debates, controversies – topics people actively disagree about: the debate over school phones.
- causes – issues people campaign for: She supports environmental causes.
Two fixed phrases belong here. The issue at hand means the subject being discussed now (alternatives: the matter at hand, the point in question). At issue means “being argued about”: What is at issue is who pays (alternatives: in question, under discussion, in dispute).
When someone “has issues”
In casual English, “he has issues” means personal or emotional problems, often said dismissively. More specific and kinder alternatives:
- struggles – She talked openly about her struggles with anxiety.
- hang-ups – worries or fixed feelings about something: He has hang-ups about his height.
- baggage – past experiences that still affect someone: emotional baggage from a long relationship.
- insecurities – We all have insecurities about how we look.
- a thing about (informal) – She has a thing about punctuality.
“Trust issues”, “anger issues” and “commitment issues” are fixed everyday phrases; you can keep them as they are, or use difficulty trusting people, trouble controlling his temper or a fear of commitment when you want to sound less like a label.
Take issue with: verbs for disagreeing
To take issue with something means to disagree with it or object to it. Alternatives, from mild to strong:
- question, disagree with, challenge, dispute, object to, contest, take exception to
I take issue with the claim that the plan is cheaper = I dispute the claim that the plan is cheaper. Note the preposition: “take issue with“, not “take issue about”.
When issue means one copy of a publication
For magazines, journals and newspapers, an issue is one published instalment.
- edition – the Sunday edition of the paper. (Strictly, an edition can also be a version of a book: the second edition.)
- number – in references and on covers: Volume 12, Number 3.
- instalment (US installment) – one part of a series.
- copy – one physical item: I kept a copy of the first issue.
When issue is a verb
As a verb, issue means to give out or announce something officially. Choose the synonym by what is being issued:
| Context | Synonyms | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statements, warnings | release, publish, announce, put out | The council released a statement this morning. |
| Documents, tickets | provide, grant, hand out, supply | Staff will hand out badges at the door. |
| Orders, instructions | give, deliver, send out | The captain gave the order to turn back. |
| Money, shares, stamps | release, put into circulation | The bank put new notes into circulation. |
| Something coming out of | emerge, flow, come out | Smoke came out of the vent. |
The noun for the official act is issuance or simply issue (the issue of new passports). In legal English, “issue” can also mean a person’s children (died without issue), but that sense is rare outside wills.
Choosing the right word: three quick checks
- Is something wrong? Use problem, concern, difficulty, glitch, setback – and pick by size and tone.
- Is it a subject? Use topic, matter, question, point.
- Is it a thing being given out? Use edition or number for publications, release or provide for the verb.
Be careful with countability: a problem, problems, but trouble (not “troubles” in “I’m having trouble with the printer”). And “issue” in the singular is often clearer than vague plurals: one issue with the contract tells the reader there is exactly one.
Practice: replace “issue” or “issues”
- We hit a small issue with the projector, but the talk started on time.
- The September issue of the magazine sold out.
- Climate and housing were the main issues in the debate.
- Several staff have raised issues about the new rota.
- The ministry will issue a statement later today.
- I take issue with your figures. (Rewrite with a verb.)
Answers: 1. snag, hitch or glitch. 2. edition (or number). 3. topics, questions or debates. 4. concerns. 5. release (or publish, put out). 6. I dispute (or question, disagree with) your figures.
Quick answers
What is a more professional word for issues? “Concerns” for worries people have raised, “difficulties” for problems in progress, “matters” for topics on an agenda. “Issues” itself is already professional and neutral.
What is a positive way to say issues? “Challenges” or “areas to improve” frame a problem as something to solve. Use them honestly – if something is broken, say so.
Is “issue” the same as “problem”? Not always. Every problem can be called an issue, but an issue can also be a topic of discussion with nothing wrong at all, such as “the issue of school uniforms”.
For answering someone who has raised a concern, see other ways to say I understand your concern. If you are writing about fixing the problem, another word for ensure may help. For how word choice, idioms and figures of speech shape tone, see our guide to figurative language.