despite their difficulties

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "despite their difficulties" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs or is true regardless of the challenges faced by the subject. Example: "Despite their difficulties, the team managed to complete the project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Despite their difficulties, all the major banks understand the opportunity presented by this new tradable commodity.

The Guardian - Opinion

Despite their difficulties, regional banks' shares have been gaining in price.

The Economist

Despite their difficulties the family find it hard to imagine a time they will be able to move home.

The Guardian

Despite their difficulties obtaining Russian visas, this international youth contingent, which allegedly included three Americans (who were nowhere to seen), seemed to signal that this summer would be different, that it would be in keeping with the Kremlin's new foreign policy of moderation, coöperation, modernization.

The New Yorker

Despite their difficulties, like most other Forum Scientium graduates, both Järregård and Nyberg found the interdisciplinary experience rewarding and have gone on to good jobs.

Science Magazine

Yes, Eli's loyalty to the Giants despite their difficulties has inspired me.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Despite their difficulty lichens are well recorded – Britain has as rich a lichen flora as anywhere in Europe – and the importance of lichens as environmental indicators, especially for atmospheric pollution, is well known.

Independent

A remarkable number of vitreoretinal surgeries are performed each year despite their difficulty.

ROBOMECH Journal

Despite their difficulty, new cross-sectional and prospective studies in men are warranted to provide a basis for designing effective HPV prevention strategies.

British Journal of Cancer

Despite their difficulty to model mathematically, limit cycle oscillations play a key role in many biological processes, including cell cycling, metabolism, neuron firing, and circadian rhythms.

BMC Systems Biology

Despite their own difficulties paying energy bills this year, the parishioners have been generous, Father Hinkley said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To enhance clarity, consider placing "despite their difficulties" at the beginning of the sentence to immediately establish the context of adversity.

Common error

Avoid vague references to "difficulties" without specifying what those challenges are. Ensure the reader understands the nature of the obstacles being overcome; otherwise, the sentence may lack impact. For example, instead of "Despite their difficulties, they succeeded", specify "Despite their financial and logistical difficulties, they succeeded."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "despite their difficulties" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a contrasting element. It modifies a clause by indicating that something occurs or is true, even when significant challenges are present. Ludwig AI provides examples across various domains that corroborate this function.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "despite their difficulties" is a grammatically correct and useful phrase for highlighting resilience or unexpected positive outcomes amidst challenges. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase works across multiple contexts, from news and media to scientific research. While relatively uncommon, its meaning is clear, and it strengthens the impact of your writing when you want to emphasize triumph over adversity. Related phrases like "in spite of their challenges" or "regardless of their problems" can serve as effective alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in spite of their challenges

Replaces "despite" with "in spite of" offering a slightly more emphatic tone.

notwithstanding their struggles

Substitutes "despite" with "notwithstanding" and "difficulties" with "struggles", creating a more formal tone.

even with their hardships

Replaces "despite" with "even with" and "difficulties" with "hardships", providing a more direct and empathetic feel.

regardless of their problems

Emphasizes that something happens without being affected by their problems.

in the face of their adversity

Highlights the confrontation with negative circumstances.

with all their setbacks

Focuses on the presence of obstacles or impediments.

even though they faced obstacles

Introduces a subordinate clause highlighting the existence of obstacles.

challenges notwithstanding

Succinctly acknowledges challenges while emphasizing continued progress.

their struggles notwithstanding

Replaces "challenges" with "struggles", Succinctly acknowledges challenges while emphasizing continued progress.

their problems notwithstanding

Replaces "challenges" with "problems", Succinctly acknowledges challenges while emphasizing continued progress.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to the phrase "despite their difficulties"?

You can use alternatives like "in spite of their challenges", "notwithstanding their struggles", or "regardless of their problems" depending on the context.

How does "despite their difficulties" differ from "because of their difficulties"?

"Despite their difficulties" indicates something happened in spite of challenges, whereas "because of their difficulties" implies the challenges caused something to happen. They have opposite meanings.

Is it better to use "despite" or "in spite of" their difficulties?

"Despite" and "in spite of" are largely interchangeable in this context. "Despite" is slightly more concise, while "in spite of" can add a bit more emphasis. The choice often comes down to personal preference.

Can "despite their difficulties" be used at the beginning of a sentence?

Yes, "despite their difficulties" can be used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a contrasting element. For example, "Despite their difficulties, they managed to complete the project on time."