a difficult order

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a difficult order" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a request or task that is challenging to fulfill or complete. Example: "Completing the project on such a tight deadline was a difficult order for the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

By James Thurber The New Yorker, December 10, 1927 P. 19 New attendant at soda fountain asks how to fill a difficult order and when veteran has explained the latter remarks "It takes years to learn the soda game".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

However, the handset has been plagued with logistical issues like a difficult ordering process on Google Play or being out of stock.

TechCrunch

Spartan races are challenges of the most difficult order, testing physical strength, endurance and intelligence through a series of dangerous obstacles.

Huffington Post

The car behind us, having a difficult time ordering their Whoppers over our public display of mediocrity, honked and yelled for us to turn the music down, but we didn't care, because we were having so much fun.

Vice

This piece of advice always feels a little bossy, and it also makes for difficult ordering: how can you insure a well-balanced meal when kimchi and a whole stone crab are presented as equivalents?

The New Yorker

Negative welcoming New members must successfully complete a difficult ritual in order to enter our guild.

Smart Learning Environments

the Negative Welcoming strategies scale (e.g., "New members must successfully complete a difficult ritual in order to enter our guild").

Smart Learning Environments

Despite this, he remained the best of the brigadiers of the division and was not afraid to voice his concerns when given difficult orders by his superiors.

Wikipedia

In this version, HAL then falsely predicts a failure of the hardware maintaining radio contact with Earth (the source of HAL's difficult orders) during the broadcast of Frank Poole's birthday greetings from his parents.

Wikipedia

Management of responsive research is a difficult balance between order and chaos.

Catalysis Today

"I'm trying to balance recovery, but also get some training in, and that's quite a difficult balance in order to get ready for that championship.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "a difficult order", ensure the context clearly defines what makes the order challenging, whether it's complexity, time constraints, or resource limitations.

Common error

While "a difficult order" is acceptable, overuse in casual conversation can sound stilted. Opt for simpler alternatives like "tough task" or "challenging job" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a difficult order" functions as a noun phrase, where "difficult" modifies the noun "order". It describes the nature of the order, indicating it is not easily fulfilled. Ludwig AI confirms that this is grammatically sound and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a difficult order" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a challenging task or request. Ludwig AI confirms this. While not exceedingly common, it's found in diverse contexts like news, science, and academia. Alternative phrases include "a challenging task" or "a demanding request". When writing, use the phrase when you need to specifically underscore the demanding nature of a task but avoiding overuse in overly informal settings. Ensure the context provides sufficient details on why the order is difficult. Finally, as the phrase has some formal flavor, be careful on context and register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a tall order

Uses the idiomatic expression "a tall order" which directly means a difficult request or task.

a challenging task

Replaces "order" with "task" and "difficult" with "challenging", focusing on the demanding nature of the undertaking.

a demanding request

Substitutes "order" with "request" and "difficult" with "demanding", emphasizing the rigorous nature of the requirement.

a tough assignment

Replaces "order" with "assignment" and "difficult" with "tough", indicating a task that requires significant effort.

a formidable undertaking

Replaces "difficult order" with a more formal phrase, "formidable undertaking", suggesting a considerable challenge.

a complex endeavor

Substitutes "difficult order" with "complex endeavor", highlighting the intricate and multifaceted nature of the task.

a Herculean task

Emphasizes the extreme difficulty by comparing the task to the legendary labors of Hercules.

a problematic requirement

Highlights the issues associated with fulfilling the "requirement", instead of focusing on the effort needed.

a strenuous effort

Shifts the focus to the effort required rather than the task itself, implying considerable exertion.

an arduous undertaking

Emphasizes the labor and difficulty associated with the undertaking, implying a prolonged and challenging process.

FAQs

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

You can use "a difficult order" to describe tasks or requests that are challenging to complete. For example: "Completing the project on such a tight deadline was "a difficult order" for the team."

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

You can use alternatives like "a challenging task", "a demanding request", or "a tall order", depending on the specific context.

Is "a difficult order" formal or informal?

"A difficult order" sits in a relatively neutral register but leaning towards formal. In very informal situations, consider something like "a tough ask" or "a hard job".

What makes something "a difficult order"?

Something becomes "a difficult order" when it presents significant challenges, whether due to complexity, time constraints, resource limitations, or other factors that make it hard to accomplish.