challenging to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is difficult to comprehend or grasp. Example: "The instructions were so complex that they were truly challenging to understand."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

However, it is often challenging to understand various regenerative studies and to interpret their results.

Journal of Endodontics

Moreover, as with the SM, it remains challenging to understand what constitutes a circumstance and what denotes a semantic role.

Functional Linguistics

This can be challenging to understand and use, it makes review and revision difficult, and puts error elimination, and improvement from experience, out of easy reach.

Forest Ecosystems

Although animal models are useful to track the translocation of NPs in vivo, it is notably challenging to understand cellular and molecular mechanism of NPs in a spatiotemporal manner.

Nano Convergence

It is challenging to understand and predict interfacial delamination in multi-layered integrated circuit (IC) packaging due to the difficulties in experimentally quantifying the critical fracture energy of interfacial adhesion.

Surface and Coatings Technology

It's getting increasingly challenging to understand The Chainsmokers.

Vice

It's challenging to understand the value of prevention services.

Huffington Post

It's hard to forget and perhaps challenging to understand.

Huffington Post

Clinicians and patients may find it challenging to understand the magnitude of effect in terms of Cohen's d, and so it is deirable to express results as a risk difference or NNT but conversion from Cohen's d to NNT is not self-evident.

Plosone

It is challenging to understand how stomatopods use their ability to see circularly polarized light for specific adaptive behavior.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Due to this complexity, it is very challenging to understand especially based on intuition alone how a signal travels through a pathway, as well as to what degree the signal is dampened by various pathway inhibitors.

CPT: Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "challenging to understand", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the difficulty in understanding. Be specific rather than vague to improve clarity for your audience.

Common error

Avoid simply stating something is "challenging to understand" without providing any context or reason. Instead, clarify why it's challenging to understand. For example, specify if it's due to complex terminology, abstract concepts, or insufficient background information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging to understand" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun by describing its quality of being difficult to comprehend. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is used to describe something that requires significant effort or is intricate to grasp. The examples show it used in various contexts, from scientific concepts to artistic expressions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "challenging to understand" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjectival phrase used to express difficulty in comprehension. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is employed across various contexts, especially in science and news. While acceptable across different registers, it tends to lean towards a more formal and academic style. When using this phrase, it is beneficial to provide specific reasons for the difficulty to ensure clarity. Consider alternatives such as "difficult to grasp" or "hard to comprehend" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to grasp

Emphasizes the difficulty in seizing or understanding something quickly.

hard to comprehend

Highlights the effort required to fully understand something.

not easy to understand

States directly that understanding requires more than minimal effort.

difficult to make sense of

Focuses on the struggle to find coherence or meaning in something.

tough to figure out

Suggests a challenging problem-solving process to reach understanding.

complex to decipher

Implies that there is an underlying code or complexity that needs to be unlocked for understanding.

abstruse to interpret

Describes the difficulty in explaining or understanding something due to its obscurity.

enigmatic to unravel

Conveys the mysterious and puzzling nature of something that needs to be understood.

opaque to perception

Implies that something lacks transparency and is difficult to see through or understand.

arcane to fathom

Highlights the ancient or specialized knowledge needed to understand something.

FAQs

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

You can use "challenging to understand" to describe something that is difficult to comprehend. For example, "The theory was so complex that it was truly challenging to understand."

What are some alternatives to "challenging to understand"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to grasp", "hard to comprehend", or "not easy to understand" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "challenging to understand" or "difficult to understand"?

Both "challenging to understand" and "difficult to understand" are correct. "Challenging" can sometimes imply a stimulating or interesting difficulty, while "difficult" is a more neutral term.

What makes something "challenging to understand" versus simply "difficult"?

Something that is "challenging to understand" often requires significant effort and may involve overcoming complexities or obstacles. "Difficult", on the other hand, can refer to something that simply requires effort, without necessarily involving complex or intricate problems.