complex to replicate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "complex to replicate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is difficult or challenging to reproduce or duplicate, often in contexts like technology, art, or processes. Example: "The design of the new software is so intricate that it is complex to replicate without the original specifications."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The Roberts fund's methods turned out to be too complex to replicate on any larger scale.

The New York Times - Magazine

Add free will to it and it creates many billion unique combinations, making it complex to replicate human experience and human intelligence.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

As indicated above, the PB2 gene is a major player in the ability of avian polymerase complexes to replicate in mammalian hosts [21] [23], [27], [28] (reviewed in [30]).

Plosone

A number of studies show conflicting results: these are likely due to small sample size or may reflect ethnic differences between Northern European and Asian populations, as seen in OA. 9 That some published genome-wide associations (GWAs) in common complex traits fail to replicate candidate gene findings suggests limitations to the candidate gene method.

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

Stalling of DNA replication forks results from insufficient nucleotide precursors, damaged template DNA, collisions between replisome and transcriptional complexes, or difficult to replicate genomic regions.

Biochemistry

To simulate action implementation we discuss challenges and issues that arise when we try to replicate complex movement abilities in robots.

Progress in Brain Research

Furthermore, the device is economic and is able to replicate complex waveforms (in terms of frequency and amplitude) and also study the wind and wave misalignment aspects.

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

The Grey Walter tortoises feature as an early example of a complex machine which appears to replicate human behaviour - in other words, to think.

BBC

Another mutation, in the polymerase protein complex, allows the virus to replicate in the cool environment of the human upper respiratory tract rather than in bird intestines, the much warmer environment where it usually resides.

Science Magazine

It's easy to point at YouTube and say "That looks fucking well mental mate," but being there trying to replicate complex dance moves and keep your unmentionables from sticking to your leg is nigh on impossible.

Vice

However, recent simulation studies demonstrate that even modest disparities in genotype allele frequencies among study participants of independent study sets may interfere with the capacity to replicate complex interactions [ 56].

BMC Medical Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing processes or systems, use "complex to replicate" to underscore inherent difficulties in duplication due to intricacy, rather than just general difficulty.

Common error

Avoid using "complex to replicate" when "difficult to copy" or "hard to reproduce" suffices. Reserve it for situations where the challenge stems from the multifaceted nature of what you're trying to replicate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "complex to replicate" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, modifying a noun (often implied) to describe a quality of being difficult to reproduce due to its complexity. As Ludwig AI explains, it's a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "complex to replicate" is a grammatically sound, albeit infrequent, expression used to describe something difficult to reproduce due to its intricacy. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. While applicable across different fields, it is primarily found in science and news media. Alternatives such as "difficult to reproduce" or "hard to duplicate" may be more commonly used. When writing, reserve "complex to replicate" for instances where the multifaceted nature of the subject is the main obstacle to replication, ensuring a precise and impactful message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to reproduce

Focuses on the difficulty of reproduction, emphasizing the act of recreating something.

hard to duplicate

Highlights the effort required in making an exact copy.

challenging to imitate

Emphasizes the difficulty in creating a similar version, particularly in terms of mimicking characteristics.

intricate to replicate

Highlights the level of detail that makes it hard to reproduce.

complicated to reproduce

Similar to the original, but uses "complicated" instead of "complex".

not easily replicable

Changes the structure to passive and uses "replicable".

demanding to recreate

Stresses the high requirements and effort to recreate something.

elaborate to duplicate

Focuses on the complexity and detail involved in the duplication process.

not straightforward to replicate

Emphasizes the absence of simplicity when attempting replication.

unsimple to reproduce

Uses a more uncommon phrasing, emphasizing a lack of simplicity in reproduction.

FAQs

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

You can use "complex to replicate" to describe something with intricate details making duplication difficult. For instance, "The algorithm's architecture is so "intricate" that it is "complex to replicate"."

What are some alternatives to saying "complex to replicate"?

Consider using alternatives like "difficult to reproduce", "hard to duplicate", or "challenging to imitate" depending on the specific context.

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

While both are grammatically correct, "complex to replicate" emphasizes the intricate and multifaceted nature of the thing being replicated, whereas "difficult to replicate" simply implies a general challenge.

When should I use "complex to replicate" instead of "complex to understand"?

"Complex to replicate" should be used when referring to the difficulty in reproducing something, while "complex to understand" refers to the difficulty in comprehending something. They address completely different aspects.