arduous to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "arduous to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is difficult or challenging to comprehend. Example: "The scientific paper was so dense and filled with jargon that it was truly arduous to understand."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Like so many conceptual artists, his work seems to lean too heavily on exposition, pleasing (possibly) the brain, but hardly ever the eye; at their worst, his installations are as arduous to understand as they were to create.

The Guardian - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The individual who embarks upon the arduous task of trying to understand religion as a whole confronts an almost inconceivably huge and bewilderingly variegated host of phenomena from every locale and every era.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The interpretation could be based on the statistical significance of a change, but placing the magnitude of these changes in a context easy to understand is arduous.

BMC Gastroenterology

Mr. Steele says that although apartment-hunting remains arduous, the Web makes it easier to understand what you are getting yourself into.

The New York Times

Uncovering the existence and direction of interactions between elements of a set of signals remains a difficult and arduous task that one has to face if one wants to understand the mechanisms at work in most biological phenomena and make full use of the high-throughput experimental data that is now more and more available.

Plosone

If the people running this country were forced to understand this the fact that most people's lives are arduous enough without disastrous policies making everything even worse perhaps they'd have a population happy to vote them into power.

Vice

If the people running this country were forced to understand this – the fact that most people's lives are arduous enough without disastrous policies making everything even worse – perhaps they'd have a population happy to vote them into power.

Vice

However, to understand the molecular basis of a locus by characterizing QTL to a quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) level is still an arduous task (Koornneef et al., 2004).

eLife

But it is arduous to detect these modifications using conventional sequencing methods, so the full effects and why they happen are still not well understood.

MIT Technology Review

David's process is so arduous to begin with.

The New York Times

Asking people for eliciting thought is arduous to cause this gap.

Computers & Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "arduous to understand", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is causing the difficulty in understanding. Providing specific examples or breaking down complex concepts can improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "arduous to understand" in informal contexts where simpler language would be more appropriate. Phrases like "hard to get" or "difficult to understand" may be better suited for casual conversations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "arduous to understand" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun by describing the difficulty associated with understanding something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct. It describes the characteristic of requiring significant mental effort for comprehension.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

31%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "arduous to understand" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase to describe something difficult to comprehend, as Ludwig AI confirms. Although its occurrence is uncommon, it is primarily found in News & Media and Science contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly identifies the cause of the difficulty. While more formal alternatives like "difficult to comprehend" or simpler options like "hard to grasp" are readily available, the choice depends on the specific context and desired tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to comprehend

Replaces "arduous" with "difficult", a more common synonym, maintaining the core meaning of challenging comprehension.

hard to grasp

Uses a more informal and figurative expression, focusing on the difficulty in seizing or understanding something.

challenging to fathom

Employs "challenging" and "fathom", suggesting a deeper, more complex difficulty in understanding.

tough to decipher

Highlights the effort needed to decode or interpret something, implying hidden meaning or complexity.

complex to process

Focuses on the cognitive effort required to understand information, particularly when it involves multiple steps or elements.

laborious to make sense of

Emphasizes the extensive effort and time needed to understand something, highlighting its complexity and obscurity.

taxing to understand

Suggests that understanding the concept puts a significant strain on mental resources.

onerous to get your head around

Uses a more idiomatic and emphatic way to express difficulty, highlighting the mental burden involved.

not easy to make out

Shifts focus towards discerning or distinguishing meaning, rather than general understanding.

impenetrable to the mind

Emphasizes the lack of accessibility to comprehension due to complexity or abstruseness.

FAQs

What does "arduous to understand" mean?

The phrase "arduous to understand" describes something that requires significant effort and mental energy to comprehend. It suggests a difficult and challenging process of understanding.

How can I use "arduous to understand" in a sentence?

You can use "arduous to understand" to describe complex topics, difficult texts, or abstract concepts. For example: "The professor's lecture on quantum physics was incredibly arduous to understand".

What are some alternatives to "arduous to understand"?

Alternatives include "difficult to comprehend", "hard to grasp", or "challenging to fathom", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "arduous to understand" formal or informal?

"Arduous to understand" leans towards formal language. Simpler alternatives like "hard to understand" are more suitable for informal settings.