awfully hard

USAGE SUMMARY

"awfully hard" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe something that is very difficult or challenging. Example: The math test was awfully hard, but I managed to get a passing grade.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I worked awfully hard.

The New York Times - Sports

He's awfully hard on himself.

The New York Times - Books

"He's making it awfully hard," Collins said.

The New York Times - Sports

But they are awfully hard to find.

The New York Times

Awfully hard to fault them for that.

The Economist

"It's just awfully hard to pull off".

The New York Times

It's sometimes awfully hard to define waste.

The New York Times

It's awfully hard to write music.

The New York Times

We worked awfully hard to get to this point.

The New York Times

It's just that sometimes they're awfully hard to find.

The New York Times - Health

But I've got a great staff that works awfully hard".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "awfully hard" to express the degree of difficulty when you want to emphasize the challenge or effort required. It works well in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

While "awfully hard" is widely understood, consider using more precise or formal alternatives like "extremely difficult" or "remarkably challenging" /s/remarkably+challenging in academic or professional settings to maintain a sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "awfully hard" functions as an intensifier modifying an adjective. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, illustrating how 'awfully' amplifies the degree to which something is 'hard', indicating significant difficulty. The phrase acts adjectivally to describe the nature of the subject.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "awfully hard" is a commonly used phrase to express a high degree of difficulty or challenge. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage, predominantly in news and media contexts. While acceptable in most situations, more formal alternatives might be preferred in academic or professional writing. The phrase functions to intensify the adjective "hard", emphasizing the effort or resilience needed. Keep in mind that, while "awfully hard" is used to emphasize how difficult something is, remember to ensure the phrase fits with the tone of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely difficult

Replaces "awfully" with "extremely", intensifying the level of difficulty.

incredibly challenging

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging" and "awfully" with "incredibly", focusing on the demanding aspect.

exceptionally tough

Replaces "hard" with "tough" and "awfully" with "exceptionally", emphasizing the resilience required.

remarkably arduous

Uses "arduous" to replace "hard", indicating a strenuous or laborious effort is required.

particularly strenuous

Highlights the effort needed by using "strenuous" instead of "hard" and "particularly" for emphasis.

terribly taxing

Replaces "hard" with "taxing", emphasizing the burden or strain involved.

really demanding

Emphasizes the high requirements or expectations using "demanding" instead of "hard".

seriously problematic

Shifts the focus to the issues or obstacles caused by the difficulty.

formidably complex

Indicates that the difficulty arises from the intricate or multifaceted nature of the task.

exceedingly toilsome

Replaces "hard" with "toilsome", suggesting prolonged and fatiguing effort.

FAQs

How can I use "awfully hard" in a sentence?

You can use "awfully hard" to describe tasks, situations, or concepts that are very difficult to deal with. For example, "It's awfully hard to believe he's leaving" or "The exam was awfully hard".

What are some alternatives to saying "awfully hard"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "extremely difficult", "incredibly challenging", or "particularly strenuous" as alternatives to "awfully hard".

Is "awfully hard" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "awfully hard" might be perceived as slightly informal. Consider using more formal alternatives such as "exceptionally tough" or "remarkably arduous" in formal contexts.

What's the difference between "awfully hard" and "so hard"?

"Awfully hard" implies a significant degree of difficulty, while "so hard" can be more general. "Awfully" intensifies the degree of difficulty more emphatically than "so" does. While "so hard" is acceptable it's less precise.