a primary challenge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a primary challenge" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the main or most significant difficulty faced in a particular situation or context. Example: "The team identified a primary challenge in meeting the project deadline due to resource constraints."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A primary challenge involves the constantly changing user profiles in globally networked business environments.

International Journal of Accounting Information Systems

She could lose in a primary challenge.

The New York Times

You'll only increase the chance of a primary challenge.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I'm not surprised that there's a primary challenge," Lieberman conceded.

The Washington Post

Mr. Levin himself is facing a primary challenge.

The New York Times

That member of Congress would likely to face a primary challenge.

The Guardian

A complete unknown mounting a primary challenge against a proven vote-getter.

The New York Times

But Mr. Israel said he was prepared to mount a primary challenge.

The New York Times

(Theodore Roosevelt attacked, belittled, and mounted a primary challenge against a successor whom he had handpicked).

The New Yorker

And should he lose substantially to Mr. Forrester, he could even face a primary challenge.

The New York Times

Mrs. Roukema was the only New Jersey Congressional incumbent facing a primary challenge on Tuesday.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a primary challenge" when you want to emphasize the most important difficulty among several others.

Common error

Avoid using "a primary challenge" when there is only one challenge. In such cases, simply referring to "the challenge" is more accurate and avoids unnecessary emphasis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a primary challenge" functions as a noun phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its usage across various contexts. It identifies the main obstacle or difficulty within a given context, often leading to a discussion of potential solutions or strategies to overcome the difficulty. Examples include identifying "a primary challenge" in system operations or business environments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a primary challenge" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to identify the most significant difficulty in a situation. According to Ludwig, it appears across various contexts, from news and media to scientific research, indicating its versatility. Its register is neutral to formal. When employing this phrase, it's important to ensure clarity by distinguishing the primary challenge from any secondary challenges. Alternatives include ""a key challenge"" or ""a main challenge"". Be mindful of overstating the significance when it is the only challenge present in order to prevent a misunderstanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is widely accepted and serves to focus attention on the core issue requiring attention.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a key challenge

Replaces "primary" with "key", emphasizing the importance of the challenge.

a main challenge

Substitutes "primary" with "main", indicating the principal challenge.

a central challenge

Replaces "primary" with "central", highlighting the core difficulty.

a foremost challenge

Uses "foremost" instead of "primary", stressing the prominence of the challenge.

a leading challenge

Substitutes "primary" with "leading", indicating a significant challenge.

a significant obstacle

Replaces "challenge" with "obstacle", focusing on something that blocks progress and "primary" with "significant".

a major hurdle

Substitutes "challenge" with "hurdle", suggesting a difficulty to overcome and "primary" with "major".

the biggest difficulty

Rephrases the entire phrase to emphasize the magnitude of the difficulty, losing the nuance of 'challenge'.

the main problem

Shifts the focus to a "problem" rather than a "challenge", indicating something negative that needs solving and omitting the adjective "primary".

a tough issue

Replaces "challenge" with "issue", softening the tone and implying something that needs to be addressed and omits the adjective "primary".

FAQs

How can I use "a primary challenge" in a sentence?

You can use "a primary challenge" to introduce the most significant difficulty in a situation, such as "A primary challenge for the team is securing sufficient funding for the project".

What phrases are similar to "a primary challenge"?

Similar phrases include "a key challenge", "a main challenge", or "a central challenge". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "the primary challenge" if it's the only challenge?

Yes, if there is only one challenge, using "the challenge" is more concise and appropriate. "A primary challenge" implies there are other, less important challenges as well.

What's the difference between "a primary challenge" and "a secondary challenge"?

"A primary challenge" refers to the most important or significant difficulty, while "a secondary challenge" refers to a less important or consequential difficulty.