a difficult endeavour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a difficult endeavour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a task or project that requires significant effort, skill, or determination to accomplish. Example: "Completing the marathon was a difficult endeavour, but the sense of achievement made it worthwhile."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Building a community is a difficult endeavour even under perfect conditions, and changing the way a community works once it has been established is even more difficult.

The Guardian

It's a difficult endeavour to successfully pull off, though; considering how past attempts like Cowboys vs Aliens, Jonah Hex, and A Million Ways to Die in the West have fared.

Independent

While nowadays a profound selection of sampling techniques, molecular topologies and theoretical approaches is available, the analysis of actual simulation data remains a difficult endeavour.

Journal of Cheminformatics

However, bringing cherry blossoms to the nation's capital proved to be a difficult endeavour.

Huffington Post

Attributing causation to putative pathogens has always been a difficult endeavour with the gold standard remaining fulfilment of Koch's postulates [36].

Plosone

A thorough evaluation of all CPO categories and subcategories is a difficult endeavour requiring a lot of resources and instruments.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Confirmation theory has proven a rather difficult endeavour.

SEP

For complex diseases such as alcoholism, however, this is a very difficult endeavour.

Alcohol research : current reviews

The peninsula's defences had been greatly improved by Abu al-Hasan's construction of new walls, towers, magazines and a citadel, making its capture a much more difficult endeavour.

Wikipedia

The design of parallel architectures in particular is a complex and difficult endeavour that makes modelling and simulation essential tools.

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation

Even for those patients who are amenable to cognitive restructuring, modifying psychotic beliefs is usually a slow and difficult endeavour [ 23].

BMC Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a difficult endeavour", ensure the context clearly defines the specific challenges involved. Providing details enhances clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid pairing "a difficult endeavour" with overly abstract or vague descriptions. Ground the phrase with concrete examples to prevent ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "a difficult endeavour" is that of a noun phrase acting as a subject complement or object. It identifies or describes a noun, indicating something that demands considerable effort or skill. Ludwig AI examples show it describing building communities or analyzing simulation data.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

50%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a difficult endeavour" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe tasks or projects requiring significant effort. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is more common in News & Media and Science contexts. While "a difficult endeavour" is not incorrect, it's valuable to be aware of alternatives such as ""a challenging undertaking"" or ""a tough assignment"" for conveying nuanced meaning and preventing repetitive language. Using concrete examples alongside the phrase provides clarity and avoids ambiguity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a challenging undertaking

Replaces 'endeavour' with 'undertaking' and 'difficult' with 'challenging', emphasizing the demanding nature of the task.

a tough assignment

Substitutes 'endeavour' with 'assignment' and 'difficult' with 'tough', suggesting a task that requires considerable effort.

a demanding project

Replaces 'endeavour' with 'project' and 'difficult' with 'demanding', highlighting the high expectations and requirements of the task.

an arduous task

Employs 'arduous' instead of 'difficult' and 'task' for 'endeavour', emphasizing the strenuous and laborious nature.

a formidable challenge

Replaces 'difficult' with 'formidable' and 'endeavour' with 'challenge', stressing the intimidating and daunting aspect.

a complex operation

Swaps 'endeavour' with 'operation' and 'difficult' with 'complex', focusing on the intricate and multifaceted nature of the task.

a laborious undertaking

Combines 'laborious' for 'difficult' and 'undertaking' for 'endeavour', stressing the effort and hard work involved.

a strenuous effort

Replaces 'endeavour' with 'effort' and 'difficult' with 'strenuous', underlining the energy and exertion needed.

a trying experience

Substitutes 'endeavour' with 'experience' and 'difficult' with 'trying', focusing on the testing and challenging nature.

a problematic venture

Employs 'venture' instead of 'endeavour' and 'problematic' for 'difficult', highlighting potential issues and complications.

FAQs

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

You can use "a difficult endeavour" to describe any task or project that requires significant effort and determination. For example, "Climbing Mount Everest is "a difficult endeavour"".

What are some alternatives to "a difficult endeavour"?

Some alternatives to "a difficult endeavour" include "a challenging undertaking", "a tough assignment", or "a demanding project".

Is "a difficult endeavor" or "a difficult endeavour" more common?

"A difficult endeavour" is the standard British English spelling. "A difficult endeavor" is the American English spelling. Both are grammatically correct, but usage depends on the intended audience.

What makes "a difficult endeavour" different from "a simple task"?

"A difficult endeavour" implies a task that requires considerable effort, skill, and perseverance, while "a simple task" suggests something that can be done easily and quickly. The former involves overcoming significant obstacles, while the latter does not.