скрутний

(важкий) difficult, hard; (суворий) heavy, serious, grave; embarrassing, deplorable; (болючий) painful, distressing; (складний) puzzling, intricate

бути в скрутному становищі — to be in great difficulties; to be in a deplorable condition; to be in extremity; to be at one's wit's end; розм. to be in a tight place (box); to be in a cleft stick; to be at the last cast; sl. to be in a fix, to be in a hole

він у скрутному становищі — he is hard up; he is in a very distressing situation