a difficult attempt

USAGE SUMMARY

"a difficult attempt" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe any attempt that is difficult to achieve. For example, "Jack's latest attempt to solve the problem proved to be a difficult attempt, but he eventually succeeded."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"We don't have the kind of silicon industry in Europe that exists in the United States and Asia, so this was always a difficult attempt," Mr. Nordstrom said.

The New York Times

Webb then missed a chance to force a playoff when a difficult attempt for par from the same distance drifted left of the hole.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Halfpenny kicked that from in front of the posts, followed by a slightly more difficult attempt to give Wales a 9-3 leat at half-time.

BBC

But, after Craven and Tickle then missed drop-goal attempts either side of the latter pushing a difficult goal attempt wide, Sykes made amends.

BBC

Then Perry made a mistake, hitting a chip shot that rolled eight and a half feet past the pin, leaving him a difficult putt attempt for par.

The New York Times - Sports

Michalak missed a difficult penalty attempt on the stroke of half-time and France, for whom skipper Thierry Dusautoir had been tireless in defence in a losing cause, were booed off by their fans.

BBC

The tee shot drops feet from the flag, but slowly rolls down the slope away from cup to set up a difficult birdie attempt.

Los Angeles Times

Even if it is difficult, attempt to talk to others about your feelings, so that you will feel less alone with your pain.

WikiHow

Navigating the ins and outs of an open relationship can be a difficult task, attempting to determine the actors, settings and moods involved in the sometimes uncertain arrangements.

Huffington Post

Why is the originality so readily granted us in literature so mistrustfully denied us in our difficult attempts at social change?

Huffington Post

It's a difficult task to attempt to condense every element on planet Earth and in modern society into one CGI animation.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a challenging situation, use "a difficult attempt" to emphasize the effort and determination required to overcome the obstacle. For example, "Navigating the legal system was a difficult attempt, but she persevered."

Common error

Avoid redundancy by ensuring other words in the sentence don't already convey difficulty. For instance, instead of "a difficult attempt to overcome insurmountable odds", consider "an attempt to overcome insurmountable odds" as the phrase already implies a significant challenge.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a difficult attempt" functions as a noun phrase, where "difficult" modifies the noun "attempt". It describes the nature of the attempt, emphasizing its challenging or complicated characteristics. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a difficult attempt" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe an action or endeavor marked by significant challenges. While relatively rare in occurrence, as noted by Ludwig AI, it is found across various contexts, including news, science, and general knowledge. When using the phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the presence of obstacles and avoid redundancy by minimizing qualifiers. For more impactful language, consider alternatives such as "a challenging endeavor" or "a formidable task", depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a challenging endeavor

Replaces "attempt" with "endeavor" and "difficult" with "challenging", emphasizing the effort required.

a tough undertaking

Uses "tough" instead of "difficult" and "undertaking" for "attempt", conveying a sense of resilience needed.

a formidable task

Substitutes "attempt" with "task" and "difficult" with "formidable", highlighting the intimidating nature of the effort.

an arduous effort

Employs "arduous" in place of "difficult" and "effort" for "attempt", stressing the laborious aspect.

a strenuous endeavor

Replaces "difficult" with "strenuous", emphasizing the energy required for the attempt.

a herculean effort

Uses "herculean" to describe the effort, indicating an extremely difficult and demanding task.

a complex undertaking

Replaces "difficult" with "complex", focusing on the intricate nature of the attempt.

a problematic venture

Employs "problematic" to indicate the difficulty, suggesting potential issues.

a thorny challenge

Uses "thorny" to emphasize the presence of obstacles and complications.

an uphill battle

Figuratively describes the attempt as a struggle against strong opposition.

FAQs

How can I use "a difficult attempt" in a sentence?

You can use "a difficult attempt" to describe an action that requires significant effort and faces considerable obstacles. For example: "Climbing Mount Everest was "a difficult attempt", fraught with peril."

What are some alternatives to saying "a difficult attempt"?

Alternatives include "a challenging endeavor", "a tough undertaking", or "a formidable task", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "a difficult attempt" or "an attempt that was difficult"?

"A difficult attempt" is generally more concise and stylistically preferable. "An attempt that was difficult" is grammatically correct but can sound less fluent.

In what contexts is "a difficult attempt" most appropriate?

"A difficult attempt" is appropriate in contexts where you want to emphasize both the action of trying and the inherent challenges involved. It's suitable for describing efforts in sports, business, personal goals, or any situation involving significant obstacles.