challenging to select

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging to select" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the difficulty of making a choice or decision among various options. Example: "With so many excellent candidates applying for the position, it has been challenging to select the right one."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Given the vast number of novel molecular targeted anti-cancer drugs available in the market of the ten countries, it was challenging to select drugs and their indications in a systemic way with clear selection criteria.

BMC Health Services Research

Hence, it is challenging to select models of optimal model complexity, which suffer neither from underfitting nor from overfitting.

Journal of Cheminformatics

It is also challenging to select proper data mining tools for analyzing clinical proteomic data, to design clinical studies like case control or prospective cohort studies, or to translate new findings of disease-specific DNB to clinical application.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

In dressing Riley as Frank, series costume designer Lou Eyrich found it challenging to select outfits which would be acceptable for a primetime series, yet would still appeal to all audiences.

Wikipedia

Typically, a docking algorithm generates a large number of docking poses, and it is often challenging to select the best native-like pose.

Bioinformatics and Biology Insights

A downside to this solution is that, it might be challenging to select the right descriptors that would be meaningful to patients for all items on the 3 subscales.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Faced with the escalating demand for public transportation in metropolitan areas, transportation authorities are challenged to select a technology that will satisfy the often conflicting demands of high capacity and reliable service, urban fit, minimized environmental impact and budget restrictions.

Urban Rail Transit

The EGP will be challenged to select which SNPs to evaluate in field studies, which chemical exposures to assess, and how to quantify these exposures.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Nowadays more and more hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) columns with diverse functional groups have become commercially available, which pose a challenge to select an appropriate one.

Journal of Chromatography A

With so many shows scheduled over the last five days in conjunction with the annual New York Comedy Festival, we decided to pose a challenge to select comics: Tell us your best clean joke.

The New York Times

Of course, much of the bits you see onstage aren't exactly Times-appropriate, so we decided to pose a challenge to select comedians: tell us your best clean joke.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "challenging to select" when you want to emphasize the difficulty in choosing between multiple options, especially when clear criteria are lacking or the choices are complex.

Common error

Avoid using "challenging to select" without clearly indicating why the selection process is difficult. Provide context to explain the complexities or constraints involved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging to select" functions as an adjective phrase modifying an implied noun, indicating that the process of selection is difficult. Ludwig provides numerous examples across various domains, confirming its grammatical correctness and wide applicability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "challenging to select" is a phrase used to express the difficulty in making a choice, often due to complexities or a lack of clear criteria. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts, especially in scientific and news domains. Alternatives like "difficult to choose" or "hard to pick" can be used depending on the desired level of formality. When employing this phrase, ensure that the source of the difficulty is clearly articulated to enhance understanding. Ludwig’s analysis indicates its versatility and appropriateness in both formal and neutral communication scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to choose

Replaces "challenging" with "difficult", focusing on the action of choosing.

hard to pick

Uses "hard" instead of "challenging", emphasizing the effort required in selection.

difficult to determine

Shifts the focus from selection to the act of determining the best option.

not easy to select

Emphasizes the lack of ease in the selection process.

presents a selection challenge

Frames the situation as a challenge related to selection.

poses a problem for selection

Highlights the problematic nature of the selection task.

demands careful selection

Stresses the need for caution and consideration in the selection process.

requires discerning selection

Emphasizes the necessity of perceptive and discriminating selection.

selective process is complex

Focuses on the complexity inherent in the selective process.

selecting presents difficulties

Inverts the sentence structure to emphasize the difficulties arising from selecting.

FAQs

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

You can use "challenging to select" to describe situations where making a choice is difficult. For example: "With so many qualified applicants, it was "challenging to select" the best candidate."

What are some alternatives to "challenging to select"?

Some alternatives include "difficult to choose", "hard to pick", or "not easy to select", depending on the specific context.

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

Both "challenging to select" and "difficult to select" are appropriate and largely interchangeable. "Challenging" may imply a stimulating or engaging difficulty, while "difficult" is more general.

When should I use "challenging to select" instead of "challenging selection"?

"Challenging to select" focuses on the difficulty of the process itself. "Challenging selection" might refer to a selection that is being disputed or contested, a different meaning altogether.