difficult document

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult document" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a document that is challenging to understand or interpret, often due to complex language or intricate content. Example: "The legal terms in the contract made it a difficult document for the average person to comprehend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

They play nothing at all from this difficult document tonight.

The Guardian - Music

This is a difficult document to put out just before an election.

The Guardian

"The Koran," he said, "is a far more complex and difficult document, and there are many versions".

The New York Times

We called the documents which are classified incorrectly difficult document.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

It was a difficult document to draft, and many countries, both rich and poor, had objections to some of its particulars, including how the money would be managed, who would have final say on what projects would be funded, and how closely the fund would be tied to the larger U.N. climate regime.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

In Sir John Chilcot's diplomatic shorthand, they are the "difficult documents".

Independent

The next step in her project will be more difficult, documenting the lives of Indonesian maids in Malaysia, where abuses are some of the worst in the region and where it may be more complicated to gain access to the young women at work.

The New York Times

The later classifiers will be evaluated whether they have the ability to rightly classifying difficult documents.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

I'm fluent enough in it that I sometimes write first drafts of difficult documents in Esperanto before rewriting them in English.

BBC

The effect of intensive glucose treatment could be modest in comparison with the well documented effect of treating other risk factors and thus difficult to document unless in longer trials with higher event rate.

Cardiovascular Diabetology

But they are difficult to document.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a "difficult document", be specific about what makes it challenging. Is it the technical jargon, the complex structure, or the sheer volume of information?

Common error

Avoid simply stating that a document is "difficult" without providing context. Explain the specific aspects that make it challenging to understand or use.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult document" functions primarily as a noun phrase where the adjective "difficult" modifies the noun "document". According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is usable in written English and serves to describe the qualities of the document.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult document" effectively describes a document that poses challenges in understanding or interpretation. As Ludwig AI confirms, its grammatical structure is correct, and while not overly frequent, the phrase appears across diverse sources, including news, scientific, and academic contexts. Alternatives like "challenging document" or "complex document" can offer subtle variations in meaning. When using the phrase, providing specific reasons for the document's difficulty enhances clarity and avoids overgeneralization. The overall analysis suggests that "difficult document" is a precise and usable term for describing the demanding nature of certain texts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

challenging document

Replaces "difficult" with "challenging", maintaining the core meaning of a document that requires effort to understand.

complex document

Substitutes "difficult" with "complex", highlighting the intricate nature of the document.

complicated document

Similar to "complex document", but emphasizes the convoluted structure or content.

arduous document

Replaces "difficult" with "arduous", suggesting the document requires significant effort and perseverance.

intricate document

Focuses on the document's detailed and elaborate nature, making it hard to follow.

demanding document

Highlights that the document requires significant attention and intellectual effort.

problematic document

Shifts the focus to potential issues or obstacles the document presents.

opaque document

Suggests the document is unclear or hard to understand due to its writing style.

impenetrable document

Emphasizes the document's resistance to understanding, implying it is very difficult to grasp.

tough document

An informal way of saying that the document requires special effort to be handled and interpreted.

FAQs

What are some synonyms for "difficult document"?

Alternatives include "challenging document", "complex document", or "complicated document", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

How can I make a "difficult document" easier to understand?

Consider breaking down the document into smaller sections, providing clear definitions of technical terms, and using visual aids to illustrate complex concepts.

When is it appropriate to describe a document as "difficult"?

Use "difficult document" when the document requires significant effort to understand due to its complexity, technicality, or obscurity. Be prepared to explain what specifically makes it so.

Is "difficult document" the same as "poorly written document"?

Not necessarily. A "difficult document" may be well-written but still challenging due to its subject matter. A poorly written document is difficult because of its lack of clarity or organization.