a difficult fantasy to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a difficult fantasy to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a challenging or complex imaginative idea or scenario that may be hard to achieve or realize. Example: "Creating a world where everyone lives in harmony is a difficult fantasy to achieve, but it is worth striving for."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It was a difficult fantasy to relinquish.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It's a difficult thing to distill, since, as Gilsdorf discovers, fantasy worlds mean vastly different things to their different inhabitants.

Huffington Post

"It's a fantasy to live here".

The New York Times

(Yeah, sounds like a fantasy to us!).

Huffington Post

A difficult game to control.

The Guardian - Sport

Though its focus is on the Souls series right now, FromSoftware hasn't always been making teeth-grindingly difficult fantasy RPGs.

Vice

Wish fulfillment has always been a pillar of television entertainment, which is why even the most difficult fantasies -- gay men conceiving babies with someone they love -- are being addressed in prime time.

The New York Times

Select an everyday program and add some fantasy to it.

WikiHow

It is astonishing how many pianists, for example, have wanted to record as well as perform a difficult long work like "Night Fantasies," and how many quartets keep the string quartets as an essential part of their repertory.

The New York Times - Arts

That big rectangular block of black represented the clown's assertion of amiable fantasy, not a difficult concept for a nation raised on the circus as well as minstrels and vaudeville.

The New York Times - Books

It's difficult to maintain a fantasy when that fantasy is based on nearby realities of rural America, on the still-living grit and history of country music and of country itself.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "a difficult fantasy to", ensure the context clearly establishes what makes the fantasy challenging. Providing specific details enhances clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "a difficult fantasy to" without explaining why the fantasy is difficult. Without context, the phrase becomes vague and loses its meaning. Always provide specific reasons or examples to illustrate the challenge.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a difficult fantasy to" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, typically an implied or stated goal or concept. It highlights the challenging nature of realizing or maintaining a particular imaginative construct. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a difficult fantasy to" is a grammatically sound way to describe an imaginative scenario that presents significant challenges. While Ludwig identifies it as correct and usable, its usage is relatively rare. It appears in news and media, as well as wiki-style content. When employing this phrase, ensure you provide context that clarifies why the fantasy is difficult to truly convey its meaning. Alternatives like "a challenging illusion to" or "a complex dream to" can offer similar nuances. The phrase is generally neutral in register, making it suitable for various forms of writing, provided the tone remains consistent with the overall text.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a challenging illusion to

Replaces "fantasy" with "illusion", emphasizing the deceptive or unreal nature of the concept.

a complex dream to

Substitutes "fantasy" with "dream", highlighting the aspirational and intricate aspects.

a hard vision to

Replaces "fantasy" with "vision", focusing on the mental image and the effort required to achieve it.

a demanding scenario to

Changes "fantasy" to "scenario", emphasizing the detailed and intricate nature of the imagined situation.

a troublesome notion to

Replaces "fantasy" with "notion", indicating the idea is potentially problematic or difficult to implement.

an elaborate delusion to

Uses "delusion" instead of "fantasy", suggesting a more extreme and potentially misleading belief.

a far-fetched concept to

Emphasizes the implausibility of the "fantasy" by calling it "far-fetched".

a painstaking make-believe to

Replaces fantasy with "make-believe", underscoring its artificial and constructed nature while adding "painstaking" to highlight effort.

an unrealistic aspiration to

Substitutes "fantasy" with "aspiration", stressing the ambitious and potentially unachievable nature of the goal.

a thorny ideal to

Changes "fantasy" to "ideal", focusing on the aspirational yet potentially problematic nature of the concept, and adding "thorny" for emphasis.

FAQs

How can I use "a difficult fantasy to" in a sentence?

You can use "a difficult fantasy to" to describe an imaginative scenario that is challenging to achieve or maintain. For example, "Creating a perfectly equitable society is "a difficult fantasy to" realize given inherent human biases".

What are some alternatives to "a difficult fantasy to"?

Alternatives include "a challenging illusion to", "a complex dream to", or "a hard vision to", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it ever appropriate to use "a difficult fantasy to" in formal writing?

Yes, it can be appropriate in formal writing, especially when discussing abstract concepts or hypothetical scenarios. However, ensure the tone and context align with the overall formality of the piece.

What makes "a difficult fantasy to" different from "an impossible dream"?

"A difficult fantasy to" suggests a challenge in achieving an imagined scenario, while "an impossible dream" implies the scenario is inherently unattainable. The former focuses on the struggle, whereas the latter focuses on impossibility.