complicated to source

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "complicated to source" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the difficulty of obtaining or finding something, such as materials, information, or products. Example: "The rare materials needed for the project are complicated to source, which may delay our timeline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The feedback we were getting from our customers was that it's too complicated to source and optimize creatives from one platform, and run campaigns from another platform," Ebert told me via email.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In the past, he said, it was so complicated to combine data sources that they often stayed separate and the companies failed to gain the knowledge they could have gotten from understanding the entire data set.

TechCrunch

But the scheme has yet to pay out, partly because companies complain it is too complicated to qualify and because commercial sources of funding have since become easier to access.

The Guardian - Business

The increase in RMS with increasing magnitude may be due to the effect of an inhomogeneous distribution of asperity or to the complicated source process of relatively large earthquakes.

Earth, Planets and Space

At OURI, two peaks are apparent in the acceleration envelope, which is probably due to the complicated source process.

Earth, Planets and Space

Estimation of the heritability of gene expression is likely to be complicated because sources of transcriptional variation can vary tremendously among tissues within individuals, among individuals, and among populations.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

"They seem to have plans [to complete the film without Hoffman] that don't seem very complicated," a source told The Hollywood Reporter.

Huffington Post

"It's complicated," our source said.

TechCrunch

ΔscrB grows well on complicated carbon source mixture glucose-THY medium, while it can not grow on sucrose-THY medium (Fig. 2c, e).

AMB Express

Effective glycerol utilization observed in some cases of the co-fermentation strategy in this study can be explained by the fact that the fungus has time to adapt its metabolism to consume a second, more complicated, source of carbon like glycerol is.

AMB Express

The alternating signs are in principle consistent with the alternating CMB secular acceleration pulses described by Chulliat et al. (2015), but in particular, our surface observations around 2012 indicate an additional or more complicated source than just a pulse similar to their 2006 one.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "complicated to source", consider your audience. If you're writing for a general audience, a simpler alternative like "difficult to find" might be more effective. In technical or business contexts, "complicated to source" is more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "complicated to source" in overly complex sentences. Ensure the surrounding text is clear and concise to prevent confusion. Break down complex ideas into smaller, more manageable parts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "complicated to source" functions as an adjective phrase describing the difficulty or complexity associated with obtaining something. Ludwig shows examples where this difficulty arises in various contexts, such as sourcing creative assets for businesses.

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, "complicated to source" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe the difficulty in obtaining something, as stated by Ludwig AI. While not very common, it's most appropriate for technical or formal business contexts. Simpler alternatives like "difficult to obtain" or "hard to find" may be better suited for a general audience. The phrase appears in a limited range of sources, mainly in news and media related to business and in scientific publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to obtain

Replaces "complicated" with "difficult", emphasizing the challenge in acquiring something.

hard to acquire

Similar to "difficult to obtain", focusing on the effort required for acquisition.

challenging to procure

Uses "challenging" and "procure" to convey a formal and difficult sourcing process.

complex to find

Substitutes "complicated" with "complex", highlighting the intricate nature of the search.

not easy to come by

An idiomatic expression indicating rarity and difficulty in finding something.

difficult to track down

Emphasizes the effort involved in locating the source or item.

laborious to secure

Highlights the extensive effort required to obtain or secure something.

involved to acquire

Similar to "complicated to source", focusing on the processes for acquisition are hard

convoluted to unearth

A formal and literary phrase for uncovering something, or hard to track something

demanding to pinpoint

Highlights the exacting nature of locating a specific source or item.

FAQs

What does "complicated to source" mean?

It means something is difficult or complex to obtain or find. This could refer to materials, information, or even funding.

Are there simpler alternatives to "complicated to source"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "difficult to obtain", "hard to find", or "challenging to procure" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "complicated to source"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct, although Ludwig AI indicates it's not very common. It's best used in formal or technical writing.

How can I use "complicated to source" in a sentence?

Example: "The rare materials needed for the project are "complicated to source", which may delay our timeline."