challenging to comprehend

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging to comprehend" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is difficult to understand or grasp intellectually. Example: "The scientific paper was filled with complex jargon, making it quite challenging to comprehend for those not in the field."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Many of these impacts are difficult to quantify and their interdependencies are often challenging to comprehend and communicate.

Urban Climate

Offshore drilling is a complex system prone to technological failures that are difficult to predict and challenging to comprehend in real-time.

The Guardian

The scope of the historical and future development of this field, as eloquently laid out in the four inaugural papers in this journal [1 4], is truly remarkable and challenging to comprehend fully.

EJNMMI Physics

On the other hand, it proved more challenging to comprehend the theoretical basis of the OIDP and its approach to quality of life measurements.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

It was a challenge to comprehend how Russia and its neighbors would throw off the legacy of the Soviet system.

The Washington Post

Mechanisms for caspase-9 localization and activation remain as a challenge to comprehend chlamydial developmental cycle.

Apoptosis : an international journal on programmed cell death

At 14 it was challenging to try and comprehend how the change in my circumstances would impact on family life thereafter.

BBC

However, when AIS are large, complex, and distributed, their system flowcharts are difficult to comprehend, challenging to use, and insufficient to support decision making in system design and implementation.

International Journal of Accounting Information Systems

However, many tumours resistant to AIs have ER-positive phenotypes [ 71], and the major challenge is to comprehend why, if AIs produce effective oestrogen deprivation, they do not result in tumour regression.

Breast Cancer Research

A further challenge to comprehending drowning is the difficulty in obtaining an accurate measure of actual exposure to water.

BMJ Open

"There are some events past and present that challenge our ability to comprehend the magnitude of human pain, suffering and the destruction associated with them.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing abstract concepts or complex systems, use "challenging to comprehend" to acknowledge the intellectual effort required for understanding. This frames the concept as a hurdle to overcome, rather than an insurmountable barrier.

Common error

Avoid using "challenging to comprehend" when simpler phrases like "difficult to understand" would suffice. Overusing the phrase in everyday contexts can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging to comprehend" functions as an adjectival phrase. It modifies a noun, describing something that presents difficulties in being understood or grasped intellectually. Ludwig indicates that it is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

7%

Encyclopedias

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "challenging to comprehend" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes something difficult to understand. According to Ludwig, the phrase is suitable for written English and particularly apt for conveying the intellectual effort needed to grasp complex concepts. While "challenging to comprehend" often appears in scientific and news contexts, it's important to avoid overusing it in simple situations where more straightforward alternatives, like "difficult to understand", would suffice. Understanding the nuances and contexts of this phrase will enable more effective and precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to understand

This is a direct synonym, replacing "challenging" with "difficult" for a simpler construction.

hard to grasp

Emphasizes the effort required to mentally seize or understand something.

not easy to understand

A more literal and less emphatic version of "difficult to understand".

tough to figure out

More informal, suggesting a problem-solving approach to understanding.

complex to fathom

Uses "complex" to highlight intricacy and "fathom" to suggest a deep understanding is needed.

beyond one's comprehension

Indicates that something is outside of someone's ability to understand.

difficult to assimilate

Focuses on the challenge of integrating new information with existing knowledge.

abstruse to interpret

"Abstruse" implies the concept is obscure and requires careful analysis to understand.

impenetrable to the mind

Highlights the sense of something being impossible to understand or enter mentally.

enigmatic to decipher

"Enigmatic" suggests that something is mysterious and needs to be decoded.

FAQs

How can I use "challenging to comprehend" in a sentence?

You can use "challenging to comprehend" to describe something that is difficult to understand, such as, "The intricacies of quantum physics can be "challenging to comprehend" for those without a scientific background."

What are some alternatives to "challenging to comprehend"?

Alternatives include "difficult to understand", "hard to grasp", or "tough to figure out". The best choice depends on the specific nuance and context you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to say "challenging to comprehend" or "difficult to comprehend"?

"Challenging to comprehend" suggests a stimulating difficulty that requires effort to overcome. "Difficult to comprehend" is a more general term for something not easily understood. Choose the phrase that best fits the tone and the nature of the difficulty.

When should I use "challenging to comprehend" instead of "challenging to understand"?

"Challenging to comprehend" emphasizes the mental process of grasping something complex, while "challenging to understand" focuses on the broader act of understanding or interpreting information. Comprehending implies a deeper level of understanding, often involving complex or abstract concepts.