complex to identify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "complex to identify" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is difficult or challenging to recognize or determine. Example: "The symptoms of the disease can be complex to identify, often leading to misdiagnosis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

In an apparent attempt to justify this, it then goes on to describe the difficulties, though now mentions only the issue of increased traffic: Although estimating the effect of fuel duty on journeys is relatively uncomplicated, it is more complex to identify how many of the additional journeys are on congested roads and to calculate the resulting GDP impact.

The Guardian

There are no bold signs on its growing Seattle headquarters complex to identify what is contained within.

The New York Times

The principal result behind the fourth and last outcome of Theorem 1 is that it is relatively complex to identify the individual who pays the largest tax.

SERIEs

Unfortunately, it is difficulty to classify a class wave operator equations, since the differential operator structure is too complex to identify whether have variational property.

Boundary Value Problems

Discussions are already under way with the US Air Force, which runs the Cape Canaveral launch complex, to identify a suitable landing zone on the Florida coast.

BBC

We conducted an association study across the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex to identify loci associated with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Instead, it utilizes DNA barcode-labeled peptide-MHC (pMHC) complexes to identify CD8+ T cells specific for the peptide presented.

Nature

Using replication genotyping in 17,500 individuals, we use the complexes to identify genome-wide significant loci that would have otherwise been missed.

Harvard University

The structure-based in silico methods use structures of ligand-target complexes to identify the structural origins of activity and selectivity of related ligands.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Recovering proteins specifically associated with mRNP complexes to identify and profile endogenously clustered mRNAs should provide insight into structural and functional relationships among gene transcripts and/or their protein products.

Duke University

In order to examine responses at the epitope-specific level, we also used HLA-peptide tetrameric complexes to identify the presence of specific T cells.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "complex to identify", ensure the subject you're referring to has multiple layers or aspects that contribute to the difficulty in recognition or detection. This adds precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "complex to identify" when a simpler term like "hard to find" would suffice. The phrase is best reserved for situations where genuine intricacy is involved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "complex to identify" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, indicating a quality of intricacy that makes something challenging to recognize or determine. Ludwig examples showcase usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "complex to identify" is used to describe situations where something is difficult to recognize or determine due to its intricate nature. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears mostly in scientific, news, and academic contexts. While alternatives like ""hard to discern"" or ""difficult to detect"" exist, "complex to identify" emphasizes the intricacy contributing to the identification challenge. When writing, reserve this phrase for cases where genuine intricacy is involved, avoiding overuse in simpler contexts. Frequency is relatively rare, so using this expression correctly will add precision to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to discern

Focuses on the difficulty of visually or mentally distinguishing something.

difficult to detect

Emphasizes the challenge of noticing or discovering something present but not obvious.

challenging to ascertain

Highlights the demanding nature of confirming or establishing something definitively.

not easy to determine

Presents a straightforward statement about the lack of simplicity in finding something out.

complicated to recognize

Focuses on the intricate nature making recognition a non-trivial task.

intricate to pinpoint

Highlights the detailed nature of what you are trying to locate.

convoluted to figure out

Emphasizes the complexity and difficulty in understanding or solving something.

abstruse to unravel

Focuses on the obscurity and the difficulty in clarifying something.

problematic to diagnose

Highlights issues in recognizing or discovering a condition

taxing to distinguish

Emphasizes how demanding distinguishing may be.

FAQs

How can I use "complex to identify" in a sentence?

You can use "complex to identify" to describe something that is difficult to recognize or determine due to its intricate nature. For example, "The causal factors were "complex to identify", requiring thorough investigation."

What are some alternatives to "complex to identify"?

Alternatives include "hard to discern", "difficult to detect", or "challenging to ascertain", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "difficult to identify" or "complex to identify"?

"Difficult to identify" is generally suitable for most situations where something is not easily recognized. "Complex to identify" implies that the difficulty arises from the intricate nature or multiple layers of the subject, making it a more specific and nuanced choice.

What makes something "complex to identify" versus simply "hard to see"?

Something "hard to see" might be obscured visually or physically. Something ""complex to identify"" has inherent intricacies or multiple interacting factors that make it challenging to recognize or diagnose, even when it is clearly visible or present.