a technical difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

"a technical difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to refer to a problem or obstacle that is the result of a technical issue, such as a computer or software malfunction. For example: "We apologize for the delay; we ran into a technical difficulty."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

How about this for a technical difficulty?

Independent

"We had a technical difficulty yesterday," he announced.

The New York Times - Arts

But it creates a technical difficulty too: if the wind drops, you need a speedy alternative source of power.

The Economist

Updated at 4.18pm BST 3.44pm BST We've experienced a technical difficulty and will backtrack to summarize part of deputy attorney general James Cole's testimony.

The Guardian

According to Mikhail Gromov, a renowned Russian geometer who has collaborated with Perelman, he had been trying to overcome a technical difficulty relating to Alexandrov spaces and had apparently been stumped.

The New Yorker

This presents a technical difficulty with the whole notion of his being interviewed by a journalist: I want to discover what made Tolle into the person he is, whereas Tolle wants me to grasp that the question of who he is is, in a profound sense, irrelevant.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

Radiation barrier of plutonium is also introduced as a new technical difficulty factor.

Annals of Nuclear Energy

Typical data mining algorithms require having all data in main memory this is a clear technical difficulty for Big Data which is spread across different locations.

Journal of Big Data

– Previous spine surgery theoretically exposes the obstetric patient to a greater technical difficulty during regional analgesia for labour or during anaesthesia for caesarean delivery.

Annales Françaises d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation

Oh also, when we asked Nick Gazin to doodle us up a little technical difficulty intertitle we forgot to specify that we wanted it horizontal/hamburger style, so we had to split the thing in two to make it fit.

Vice

These differences between genders may be due to a greater technical difficulty in analysing female voices [ 56, 60].

BioMed Research International

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting "a technical difficulty", be specific about the system or component affected to facilitate quicker resolution.

Common error

Avoid simply stating "a technical difficulty" without providing context. Instead, specify the nature and impact of the difficulty. For example, instead of saying "We experienced a technical difficulty", say "We experienced a server outage that affected user logins."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a technical difficulty" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig examples show it describing disruptions or obstacles encountered in various processes. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a technical difficulty" is a commonly used noun phrase to describe a problem or obstacle related to technology. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across diverse contexts. It's most frequently found in News & Media and Science sources. When using the phrase, it's best practice to provide specific details about the nature and impact of the difficulty to facilitate quicker resolution. While alternatives such as "a technical issue" or "a technical problem" exist, "a technical difficulty" remains a clear and widely understood way to convey technical disruptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a technical issue

Replaces 'difficulty' with a more general term 'issue', implying a problem that needs resolution.

a technical problem

Substitutes 'difficulty' with 'problem', highlighting the problematic nature of the technical situation.

a technical challenge

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'challenge', emphasizing the need for skill and effort to overcome the technical issue.

a technical glitch

Uses 'glitch' instead of 'difficulty', suggesting a minor and temporary malfunction.

a software malfunction

Specifies the type of technical difficulty, focusing on problems within software.

a system error

Indicates a problem within a system, implying a deviation from expected behavior.

an equipment failure

Focuses on the failure of equipment as the source of the technical problem.

a technological hurdle

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'hurdle', portraying the technical issue as an obstacle to overcome.

a programming error

Specifies that the problem is related to errors made during programming.

a hardware fault

Indicates a problem related to physical components (hardware).

FAQs

What does "a technical difficulty" mean?

A "technical difficulty" refers to a problem or issue arising from technology, such as computers, software, or equipment, that hinders normal operation or task completion.

What can I say instead of "a technical difficulty"?

You can use alternatives like "a technical issue", "a technical problem", or "a system error" depending on the specific context.

How do you apologize for "a technical difficulty"?

When apologizing for "a technical difficulty", be sincere and explain the measures being taken to resolve it. For example, "We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the technical difficulty. Our team is working to restore service as quickly as possible."

What are common causes of "a technical difficulty"?

Common causes include software bugs, hardware failures, network outages, and misconfigurations. Understanding the cause helps in communicating the issue effectively and preventing future occurrences.