a difficult victory

USAGE SUMMARY

"a difficult victory" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which someone achieves success but experiences great effort and difficulty in doing so. Example: After hours of hard work, they celebrated their difficult victory in winning the game.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"It was a difficult victory for us because Norwich started the match well," Flores said.

The Guardian - Sport

Vlade Divac added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Kings returned from a four-game road trip with a difficult victory that kept them undefeated at Arco Arena this season.

The New York Times - Sports

It has its roots in the 17th century, when the conquistadors, having won a difficult victory, prohibited the indigenous people from riding horses – today the race is both a protest against colonialism and a ceremony that honours the dead.

Vice

It has its roots in the 17th century, when the conquistadors, having won a difficult victory, prohibited the indigenous people from riding horses today the race is both a protest against colonialism and a ceremony that honors the dead.

Vice

Throw in the unwillingness to upset pharma or the insurance industry too much, and what should have been a difficult victory has turned into a quiet dissipation of opportunity.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"It was a very difficult victory," the Spain manager reflected.

Independent

The simplest explanation for Klitschko's poor performance is old age, especially considering that he wasn't very impressive in April, in a surprisingly difficult victory over Bryant Jennings.

The New Yorker

Carr did not make another 3-pointer, and the Volunteers (29-4) went on a 10-4 burst in a difficult 72-57 victoverover the Eagles 21-111).

The New York Times - Sports

As mediocre as the Flyers were this season, they have been strong in the playoffs, and they finished off the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals with a difficult 4-2 victory.

The New York Times - Sports

Its hot-handed shooters went cold, Villanova banged its way inside and to the free-throw line, and a 15-0 run by the Wildcats led to a difficult 80-67 victory.

The New York Times - Sports

Sporting Kansas City The good news is that after a difficult 0-1 victoverover Western Conference playoff rivals Portland, Sporting KC are in need of three points from their remaining three fixtures to guarantee a post-season berth.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a difficult victory", ensure that the context clearly illustrates the specific challenges or obstacles that made the victory hard-earned. Provide details that show the effort and sacrifice involved.

Common error

Avoid using "a difficult victory" when the win was merely inconvenient or slightly challenging. Reserve it for situations where genuine hardship and significant effort were crucial to the outcome.

Linguistic Context

Adjectival phrase functioning as a modifier. It describes the nature of the noun 'victory', indicating the level of effort, challenge, or adversity involved. Ludwig examples show usage in diverse contexts, from sports to politics.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Reference

1%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a difficult victory" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe a win that was achieved despite significant challenges and hardships. Ludwig examples show its usage across diverse contexts, including sports, politics, and historical events. While the phrase is versatile, it's important to ensure the context genuinely reflects a substantial struggle, avoiding overuse in trivial situations. Alternatives like ""a hard-fought win"" or ""a challenging triumph"" offer similar meanings with slight nuances. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is a well-constructed and readily understandable way to convey the challenging nature of a win.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hard-fought win

Replaces "difficult" with "hard-fought", highlighting the struggle involved in achieving the victory.

a challenging triumph

Substitutes "victory" with "triumph" and "difficult" with "challenging", emphasizing the obstacles overcome.

a strenuous victory

Uses "strenuous" instead of "difficult" to describe the victory, indicating significant effort and energy were required.

a laborious win

Replaces "difficult" with "laborious", stressing the extensive work and effort involved.

a hard-earned victory

Emphasizes that the victory was gained through considerable effort and sacrifice.

a grueling triumph

Uses "grueling" to convey the harsh and exhausting nature of the path to victory.

a hard-won battle

Changes "victory" to "battle" to underline the combative and challenging nature of the situation.

an uphill battle won

Emphasizes that the victory was achieved against significant odds and resistance.

a pyrrhic victory

Indicates that the victory came at a great cost, almost negating the benefits of winning.

a close victory

Highlights the narrow margin of victory, implying tension and difficulty.

FAQs

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

You can use "a difficult victory" to describe any situation where success was achieved despite significant challenges. For example, "The team secured "a difficult victory" after a grueling five-set match."

What are some alternatives to "a difficult victory"?

Alternatives include "a hard-fought win", "a challenging triumph", or "a strenuous victory", each emphasizing different aspects of the struggle.

Is it always appropriate to describe a win as "a difficult victory"?

No, it's not always appropriate. It should be used when the victory involved overcoming substantial obstacles or required extraordinary effort. Overusing it can diminish its impact and credibility.

What's the difference between "a difficult victory" and "a pyrrhic victory"?

"A difficult victory" simply means the win was hard-earned. "A pyrrhic victory", on the other hand, signifies a victory that came at such a great cost that it was almost not worth winning.