an intractable task

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an intractable task" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a task that is difficult or impossible to manage or solve. Example: "The project turned out to be an intractable task, requiring more resources than we had anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The court's punt saddled the lower courts with an intractable task.

The Washington Post

Reconstruction of the urinary tract is an intractable task for urologists due to insufficient autologous tissue.

Asian Journal of Urology

Oil price prediction has usually proved to be an intractable task due to the intrinsic complexity of oil market mechanism.

Energy Economics

Unfortunately, the size of such spheres is limited, and their crosslinking is a huge challenge; specifically, preparing chiral crosslinked microspheres (CCMs) of substituted polyacetylenes with diameter of 1 50 μm remains as an intractable task.

Polymer

Due to the complexity of these steps, multilingual part-of-speech tagging can be an intractable task, where as the number of languages increases so does the time demanded by these steps.

Neural Networks

However, the their increasing complexity increases the number of hyperparameters, which makes tuning of hyperparameters an intractable task.

IPSJ Transactions on Computer Vision and Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Since a bonded repair represents a multiple layered structure with a crack being present in one layer only, an exact, analytical solution of this 3D problem is an almost intractable task.

Advances in the Bonded Composite Repair of Metallic Aircraft Structure

But prosecuting gangs has proved an increasingly intractable task for the authorities.

The Guardian

These days, he is Lord Freud (obviously), and has put the breadth of his learning at the disposal of the Tories – indeed, he currently functions as Duncan Smith's minister, and the pair seem ideally suited, apparently resistant to the notion that the admirable goal of simplifying a system is immensely nuanced and intractable task.

The Guardian - Opinion

Jittery with drugs, Zubin Varla's excellent neurotically driven Duke emerges from this throwabout cairn of crudity and proceeds to go on sabbattical, leaving the intractable task of tightening the city's laws against licentiousness to his deputy Angelo whose priggish preciousness and hypocrisy are transmitted with high-definition power by Paul Ready.

Independent

Putting this all together, over the past half-decade, machine learning has experienced a renaissance in which deep learning approaches have broken through many of the formerly intractable tasks like computer vision and yielded superhuman accuracy in an increasing number of domains.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an intractable task", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the task's resistant nature to resolution or management. Providing specific examples or reasons can strengthen the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "an intractable task" for situations that are simply challenging or time-consuming. The phrase implies a deeply rooted, almost unsolvable issue. Choose words like "challenging" or "difficult" for tasks that are manageable with effort.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an intractable task" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "intractable" modifies the noun "task". It describes the nature of the task, highlighting its difficulty to manage or resolve. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an intractable task" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a task that's extremely difficult or seemingly impossible to solve. While Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, it's important to use it precisely, reserving it for situations where the challenge is genuinely resistant to solutions. As demonstrated by its prevalence in scientific and news media contexts, the phrase is suitable for both formal and neutral registers. When seeking alternatives, consider phrases like "an insurmountable challenge" or "an unachievable goal" to better match the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an insurmountable challenge

Emphasizes the idea that the task is impossible to overcome.

an unachievable goal

Focuses on the impossibility of reaching the desired outcome.

an impossible mission

Highlights the difficulty and potential failure of the task.

a hopeless endeavor

Emphasizes the lack of hope for success in the task.

an unresolvable problem

Shifts the focus to the difficulty of finding a solution.

a perplexing situation

Highlights the confusing and difficult nature of the situation.

a thorny issue

Highlights the problematic and complex nature of the issue.

a complicated undertaking

Emphasizes the complexity and difficulty of the task.

a tough assignment

Emphasizes the difficulty and demanding nature of the assignment.

a delicate matter

Highlights the sensitive and difficult nature of the matter.

FAQs

How can I use "an intractable task" in a sentence?

You can use "an intractable task" to describe something very difficult or impossible to solve. For example, "Dealing with the bureaucracy proved to be "an intractable task"."

What are some alternatives to "an intractable task"?

Alternatives include "an insurmountable challenge", "an unachievable goal", or "an impossible mission". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "intractable problem" or "intractable task"?

Both "intractable problem" and "intractable task" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on whether you are referring to a problem that needs solving or a task that needs completing. "Task" implies an assignment or piece of work, while "problem" suggests a question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty.

What makes a task considered "intractable"?

A task is considered "intractable" when it resists all attempts to resolve or manage it. It suggests that the underlying issues are deeply rooted or complex, making a solution appear impossible or highly improbable.