create a difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

"create a difficulty" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing the act of causing a problem or obstacle in a situation. For example: "The new policy may create a difficulty for employees trying to meet deadlines." Alternative expressions include "cause a problem," "pose a challenge," and "introduce an obstacle."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This would unquestionably create a difficulty for businesses, especially at a time when food costs on menus are rising sharply due to the food crisis.

The Guardian - Books

Similarly, bareland, settlement, and cultivated land features after crop harvest had a closer spectral overlap in some areas, thus create a difficulty in differentiating between the different land cover classes.

Ecological Processes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The tension between its commercial role and cultural status creates a difficulty for economic policymakers.

The Economist

"It creates a difficulty for the attorney general to exercise his discretion, and creates a prejudgment in public opinion".

The New York Times

There is a cultural differend of values and concepts (such as mana) involved in this explanation that creates a difficulty for many non-Māori in being able to fully comprehend.

Video Journal of Education and Pedagogy

UML (Unified Modeling Language) is a collection of somewhat overlapping modeling techniques, thus creating a difficulty in establishing practical guidelines for selecting the most suitable techniques for modeling OO artifacts.

Information and Software Technology

This creates a difficulty in directly determining the ecological impact of specific surface wettabilites due to the range of interspecies difference in surface properties.

Plosone

Again, it is worthy note that variability of single neurons during the rest period and in response to stimuli (as shown in the spike rasters of Fig. S6A and S6C) creates a difficulty in predicting whether real-time memory traces were formed or retrieved in the hippocampus at a given moment within any single trial.

Plosone

Staff shortage impedes nurses' productivity directly and indirectly and creates a difficulty for both patients and nurses.

Human Resources for Health

This may be because the people receiving interferon-based therapy (IBT) for HCV were mostly located in countries with low TB incidence rates; this creates a difficulty in identifying an association between IBT and active TB.

BMC Infectious Diseases

This has created a difficulty in targeting MMPs therapeutically, as small-molecule inhibitors designed to bind the MMP active site are not able to effectively discriminate between individual MMP subtypes.

Cancer and Metastasis Reviews

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the phrase with the preposition "for" to identify who is affected (e.g. "create a difficulty for businesses").

Common error

Avoid using this phrase when a single verb like "complicate" or "hinder" would make the sentence punchier. For example, instead of saying "The rain will create a difficulty for the runners", try "The rain will hinder the runners".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "create a difficulty" functions as a transitive verb phrase consisting of the verb "create", the indefinite article "a" and the noun "difficulty". According to Ludwig, it is used to denote the initiation or cause of an impediment. The noun "difficulty" acts as the direct object of the verb.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Social Media

2%

Wiki

2%

Informal Speech

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "create a difficulty" is a robust and grammatically correct phrase frequently employed in formal and analytical English. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in high-tier publications to describe the emergence of obstacles or problems. While perfectly functional, writers should be mindful of context; in many cases, alternatives like "pose a challenge" or simply "complicate" may offer more precision or better flow. It remains a reliable choice for scientific and journalistic writing where clear causality is required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pose a challenge

Uses a more formal verb often found in academic and professional settings

cause a problem

A more direct and slightly less formal alternative

create an obstacle

Focuses on the physical or procedural blockage created

engender difficulty

A highly formal and literary choice

present a hurdle

Uses a metaphorical noun to emphasize an obstacle to be cleared

generate issues

Common in technical or corporate environments

lead to complications

Suggests that the action triggers a series of intricate issues

introduce a barrier

Implies the addition of a new restrictive element

result in a hardship

Focuses on the suffering or severe burden caused

spark a dilemma

Specifically refers to problems involving a difficult choice

FAQs

How do I use "create a difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an action that results in a problem, such as: "The new regulations will "create a difficulty" for small startups trying to enter the market".

What can I say instead of "create a difficulty"?

Depending on your context, you can use more common alternatives like "pose a challenge", "cause a problem" or "complicate".

Is "create a difficulty" formal enough for academic writing?

Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in formal writing. However, many academic authors prefer "present a challenge" or "pose a difficulty" for a slightly more sophisticated tone.

What is the difference between "create a difficulty" and "pose a threat"?

While "create a difficulty" refers to making something harder to do, "pose a threat" implies a potential for actual harm, danger or destruction.