a recurring difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a recurring difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a problem or challenge that happens repeatedly over time. Example: "The team has been facing a recurring difficulty in meeting project deadlines due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A recurring difficulty, however, has been to maintain their stability in an aqueous environment.

Carbohydrate Polymers

A recurring difficulty was the invisibility of the importance of one's own contribution.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

One recurring difficulty in examining cases of public corruption is discovering which of the parties involved took the initiative in the transaction i.e., whether the payment was offered to a public official in order to influence his official behaviour (bribery) or demanded by him in exchange for special consideration or services (extortion).

Encyclopedia Britannica

One recurring difficulty is that much of the research comes from North America and may not be generalisable to other contexts, although a contemporary study using aggregate local council-level data in England also links outlet density with alcohol-related problems (Coghill, 2011).

Health and Place

But he came to recognise that he needed more management firepower to get a grip on the operational detail and finances, with recurring difficulties in A&E and a deficit running at £1.4m every week.

The Guardian

Apple's success, though, combined with its recurring difficulties in meeting the demand for some its hottest products, including the iPad and iPhone, have prompted investors to single out the company.

The New York Times - Tech

An alternate explanation is that individuals with BD who have recurring difficulties from trauma are continuing to have persistent depressive symptoms and may not be represented in this sample.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

Once recognized, these patterns, such as chronic issues with certain types of employees or bosses or people in general, or recurring difficulties with certain types of business challenges or opportunities, open the door toward understanding basic beliefs about worth, talent, intelligence, goodness, personal power and confidence.

Forbes

Attempts to get researchers and potential research users to work together face recurring difficulties.

Health Research Policy and Systems

There is, I think, a recurring sense of the difficulty involved in properly knowing other people, of bridging the gap between ourselves and others, of engaging in meaningful communication.

The New Yorker

A recurring theme was the great difficulty of recognizing, untangling, and reconciling cryptic assumptions.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a recurring difficulty", ensure the context clearly indicates the problem has occurred multiple times and is not a one-off incident.

Common error

Avoid using "a recurring difficulty" if the issue has only surfaced once. Use alternative phrases like "a potential difficulty" or "an emerging difficulty" to more accurately reflect the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a recurring difficulty" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms that it describes a problem that reappears over time. For example, "A recurring difficulty was the invisibility of the importance of one's own contribution."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

News & Media

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a recurring difficulty" is a valid English phrase used to describe a problem or challenge that appears repeatedly. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical structure is correct, and it is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more frequently found in scientific, encyclopedic and news-related content. While the phrase itself is accurate and usable, it's important to ensure that the context clearly demonstrates the problem has indeed occurred more than once. Consider alternatives like "a persistent challenge" or "a frequent obstacle" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a persistent challenge

Replaces "difficulty" with "challenge" and "recurring" with "persistent", emphasizing the ongoing nature of the issue.

a repeated problem

Uses simpler vocabulary, replacing "recurring" with "repeated" and "difficulty" with "problem".

a frequent obstacle

Substitutes "difficulty" with "obstacle" and "recurring" with "frequent", highlighting the hindrance aspect.

a common setback

Replaces "difficulty" with "setback" and "recurring" with "common", suggesting a temporary impediment.

a regular impediment

Similar to "frequent obstacle", but uses "impediment" which is a more formal term.

a chronic issue

Emphasizes the long-lasting nature of the difficulty by using the term "chronic".

a habitual struggle

Highlights the effort involved in dealing with the recurring problem by using "struggle".

a repeating snag

Uses the more informal word "snag" to describe the difficulty.

a perennial complication

Employs a more sophisticated vocabulary with "perennial" and "complication".

an often-seen issue

Expresses the recurring nature in a more descriptive way.

FAQs

What does "a recurring difficulty" mean?

The phrase "a recurring difficulty" refers to a problem or challenge that happens repeatedly. It suggests that the issue is not isolated but appears multiple times.

How can I use "a recurring difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "a recurring difficulty" to describe a problem that a person, team, or organization experiences repeatedly. For example, "The project team faced "a recurring difficulty" in meeting deadlines due to unexpected delays".

What are some alternatives to "a recurring difficulty"?

Some alternatives to "a recurring difficulty" include "a persistent challenge", "a repeated problem", or "a frequent obstacle". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "a recurring difficulty" formal or informal?

"A recurring difficulty" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, alternatives like "a perennial complication" might be more appropriate for very formal writing.