cumbersome plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cumbersome plan" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a plan that is complicated, unwieldy, or difficult to manage or execute. Example: "The team decided to abandon the cumbersome plan in favor of a more streamlined approach that would save time and resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

There is now a small-scale, cumbersome plan that allows "guest workers," mostly agriculture laborers, to get temporary visas.

The New York Times

Currently, there is a small-scale, cumbersome plan that allows "guest workers," mostly agricultual laborers, to get temporary visas.

The New York Times

There is now a small-scale, cumbersome plan that allows mostly agriculture laborers to get temporary visas.

The New York Times

To make the chore of watering the plants less cumbersome, plan ahead by installing an irrigation system.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

In Brazil, weak infrastructure and cumbersome planning rules have inhibited the growth of warehousing.

The Economist

The plans include accelerating reform of the Israel Lands Administration, a government monopoly that controls the majority of the land available for building, and of the country's cumbersome planning bureaucracy.

The New York Times

Moreover, even if the government did decide today to push ahead with, for example, doubling the size of Heathrow, the delays caused by the UK's cumbersome planning process - which the prime minister has promised to streamline somewhat - and the logistics involved mean that little spending would actually happen before the next election.

BBC

the PATH Act makes accounting for the plans less cumbersome for plan administrators, which in turn makes them cheaper to operate and those savings can be passed on to families in the form of lower fees.

Forbes

In theory, by eliminating the distribution aggregation requirements, the PATH Act makes accounting for the plans less cumbersome for plan administrators, which in turn makes them cheaper to operate and those savings can be passed on to families in the form of lower fees.

Forbes

Also in 1850, after a cumbersome design had been officially accepted by the Great Exhibition's organizers, Paxton's inspired plan for a building of prefabricated elements of sheet glass and iron was substituted.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A needlessly cumbersome guest-worker plan and a costly war on gatecrashers are bad ideas even if you don't give a fig for the welfare of would-be migrants.* "The Economic Logic of Illegal Immigration", Council on Foreign Relations Special Report, April 2007.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cumbersome plan", consider clarifying what makes the plan cumbersome, such as excessive steps, bureaucratic hurdles, or resource intensiveness.

Common error

Avoid using "cumbersome plan" as a vague criticism. Instead, pinpoint the specific aspects that create the difficulty, such as "the plan's cumbersome reporting requirements" or "the cumbersome approval process".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cumbersome plan" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "cumbersome" modifies the noun "plan". It describes a plan that is complicated and difficult to handle. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is correct and appropriate for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cumbersome plan" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe a strategy or proposal that is complex and difficult to manage. As Ludwig confirms, the phrase is valid and usable. While examples are rare, the phrase appears across various contexts, including news and media and academic writing. When using "cumbersome plan", it's beneficial to specify what makes the plan cumbersome to enhance clarity. Alternatives like "impractical plan" or "complex plan" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impractical plan

Focuses on the plan's lack of feasibility.

difficult plan

Emphasizes the challenges involved in executing the plan.

complex plan

Highlights the intricate nature of the plan.

complicated plan

Similar to complex, but can also imply unnecessary layers.

awkward plan

Suggests a plan that is not well-suited or elegant.

clumsy plan

Implies a plan that is inefficient and poorly designed.

unwieldy plan

Highlights the difficulty in managing or controlling the plan.

laborious plan

Emphasizes the amount of effort required by the plan.

tedious plan

Focuses on the plan's monotonous and tiresome nature.

inefficient plan

Highlights the plan's wastefulness of resources.

FAQs

How can I use "cumbersome plan" in a sentence?

You can use "cumbersome plan" to describe a strategy or proposal that is overly complex and difficult to manage. For example, "The company abandoned its cumbersome plan in favor of a more streamlined approach".

What are some alternatives to "cumbersome plan"?

Alternatives include "impractical plan", "difficult plan", or "complex plan", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "cumbersome plan" or "complicated plan"?

Both are valid, but "cumbersome plan" emphasizes the difficulty in managing or executing the plan, while "complicated plan" highlights its complex structure.

What makes a plan "cumbersome"?

A plan is considered "cumbersome" if it involves too many steps, excessive bureaucracy, or requires significant resources, making it difficult to implement effectively.