become ever more difficult

USAGE SUMMARY

"become ever more difficult" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to express an idea or situation that continues to get harder, or becomes increasingly difficult. For example: "As time passes, the test questions become ever more difficult."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

At last, it seems, addiction is being treated as a health rather than a crime issue but as drug-taking supply and demand patterns evolve, so it become ever more difficult to predict which substances will cause the most damage.

Independent

Otherwise, it will become ever more difficult to persuade the very best lawyers to become judges.

The Guardian

As low rainfall has dried up the countryside, the search for water has become ever more difficult.

The New York Times

In a time of increasing factionalism, the voice of the center has become ever more difficult to hear.

The Guardian - Opinion

The government remains in firm control of most major cities, including Damascus, but it has become ever more difficult for the strained Syrian military to retake contested areas.

The New York Times

As the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill has ground on, the doubts and questions that accompany it have become ever more difficult to address.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Cricket's task becomes ever more difficult.

The Guardian - Sport

In baseball, throwing became ever more difficult.

The New York Times

We live in a world of swirling, compounding misinformation, as fact becomes ever more difficult to separate from fabrication.

The Guardian - Books

However, with a busy exam schedule in January and work commitments over the festive period it becomes ever more difficult to find time for studying and seeing friends.

The Guardian

Without similar high-profile successes in recent years, popular support has fallen, and it becomes ever more difficult to convince incoming foreign secretaries it should be a priority.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "become ever more difficult" when you want to emphasize the continuous and intensifying nature of a challenge or problem. This phrase adds a sense of ongoing escalation to the difficulty.

Common error

Avoid using "become ever more difficult" in situations where simpler alternatives like "become more difficult" or "get harder" suffice. Reserve the phrase for scenarios where the escalating nature of the difficulty is a key aspect of the message.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become ever more difficult" functions as a descriptive phrase indicating a progressive increase in difficulty. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, showcasing how it effectively conveys a situation's escalating challenge. Examples in various contexts illustrate its adjectival role, modifying nouns to highlight intensifying hardship.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Encyclopedias

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "become ever more difficult" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe something that is progressively getting harder. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriateness in written English. While not as common as simpler alternatives, it's particularly effective when emphasizing the escalating nature of a challenge. Ludwig's examples show that it appears most frequently in news and media, but also in encyclopedic and scientific contexts. When writing, reserve this phrase for situations where highlighting the continuous and intensifying nature of the difficulty is essential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

grow increasingly challenging

Emphasizes the increasing nature of the challenge or difficulty, highlighting the progression.

get progressively harder

Focuses on the gradual increase in hardness or difficulty over time.

turn increasingly problematic

Shifts the focus to the problematic nature of the situation as it intensifies.

prove more and more troublesome

Highlights the troublesome aspect of the situation, indicating increasing annoyance or difficulty.

pose a greater and greater challenge

Emphasizes the nature of the situation as a challenge and its escalation.

become increasingly complex

Focuses on the growing complexity as a source of difficulty.

get harder and harder

A simpler, more direct way of expressing the increase in difficulty.

descend into greater hardship

Highlights the descent or decline into increasing hardship or difficulty.

present escalating obstacles

Focuses on the obstacles involved and their increasing intensity.

face mounting struggles

Highlights the struggles involved and their increasing accumulation or intensity.

FAQs

How can I use "become ever more difficult" in a sentence?

You can use "become ever more difficult" to describe a situation that is progressively getting harder. For example, "As the project progressed, completing tasks "became ever more difficult"".

What are some alternatives to "become ever more difficult"?

Some alternatives include "grow increasingly challenging", "get progressively harder", or "turn increasingly problematic", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "become ever more difficult"?

Yes, the phrase "become ever more difficult" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to describe something that is progressively getting harder.

What is the difference between "become more difficult" and "become ever more difficult"?

"Become more difficult" simply indicates an increase in difficulty, while "become ever more difficult" emphasizes a continuous and intensifying increase in difficulty.