difficult start to the day

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult start to the day" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a challenging or problematic beginning to a day, often in a personal or narrative context. Example: "After spilling coffee on my shirt and missing the bus, it was definitely a difficult start to the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"It was a difficult start to the day.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Vettel, speaking after this week's Barcelona test, said he felt much more comfortable in his car on his way to fourth place in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday after a difficult start to the season.

BBC

The club had a difficult start to the year but appeared to have bounced back from that only to lose at Stoke on Saturday.

The Guardian - Sport

Williams might be facing a difficult start to the season.

BBC

Victory at the Stadium of Light was just the tonic Arsenal needed after a difficult start to 2012 and ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie at Milan.

The Guardian - Sport

Andy Pettitte had another difficult start Monday and the Yankees lost, 8-1, thethe Chicago White Sox, a team that had lost 10 straight games.

The New York Times - Sports

Time to start the day.

The Washington Post

But after a difficult start the combination is starting to pay off in some areas.

The Economist

"I know having spoken to Alex that it was something he found difficult to start with, but Saturday has proved to me I can do it if this is something I'm going to carry on doing.

BBC

Celtic midfielder Charlie Mulgrew is convinced Ronny Deila will come through the difficult start he has endured to his managerial career in Glasgow, the latest being the 1-0 home defeat by Scottish Premiership leaders Hamilton Accies on Sunday.

BBC

I was lucky that I'd got my identity document fairly quickly, but I didn't get my national insurance number until day 20 and its difficult to start the process at the jobcentre without it.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "difficult start to the day" to succinctly describe a morning or day that began with challenges or problems. This phrase is most effective when you want to convey the immediate sense of struggle at the beginning of a period.

Common error

While "difficult start to the day" is appropriate in some situations, avoid overuse. Consider using more specific descriptions of the problems encountered to provide richer detail and context to your writing. For example, instead of just saying "difficult start to the day", you could describe the specific incidents that made it challenging like "missing the train and spilling coffee made for a terrible start to the day."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult start to the day" primarily functions as a descriptive phrase. Based on examples identified by Ludwig, the phrase depicts an event at the beginning of the day. It describes the quality of the beginning of the day as being challenging or problematic.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult start to the day" serves as a descriptive phrase to convey a challenging or problematic beginning to a day. Ludwig AI has detected that the phrase is grammatically correct, though infrequent, and it's used mostly in News & Media. Alternatives such as "rough start to the morning" or "challenging beginning to the day" can be used to express similar ideas. It's important to avoid overusing this phrase and to provide specific details about the challenges encountered for a more impactful description.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rough start to the morning

Replaces "difficult" with "rough" and specifies "morning" instead of "day", implying a less severe or longer-lasting issue.

challenging beginning to the day

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "start" with "beginning", offering a slightly more formal tone.

problematic start to the day

Uses "problematic" instead of "difficult", highlighting the presence of specific issues or obstacles.

unpleasant beginning to the day

Replaces "difficult" with "unpleasant", focusing on the negative emotional experience.

tough start to the morning

Uses "tough" instead of "difficult", suggesting resilience is needed to overcome the initial challenges.

trying start to the day

Replaces "difficult" with "trying", emphasizing the effort required to manage the initial challenges.

inauspicious start to the day

Offers a more formal and literary alternative, suggesting the day began with bad omens or unfavorable circumstances.

a morning that began badly

Changes the structure to a clause, focusing on the poor quality of the morning's beginning.

a day that started on the wrong foot

Uses an idiom to convey a similar meaning, highlighting the initial misalignment or mistake.

the day got off to a bad start

Focuses on the overall feeling that the day began poorly, shifting the emphasis from difficulty to negativity.

FAQs

What does "difficult start to the day" mean?

The phrase "difficult start to the day" means that the beginning of the day was marked by problems, challenges, or unpleasant events, setting a negative tone for the rest of the day.

How can I use "difficult start to the day" in a sentence?

You can use "difficult start to the day" to describe a challenging morning. For example, "After a series of unfortunate events, it was a very difficult start to the day".

What can I say instead of "difficult start to the day"?

You can use alternatives like "rough start to the morning", "challenging beginning to the day", or "problematic start to the day" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "difficult start to the day" or "bad start to the day"?

Both phrases are acceptable, but "difficult start to the day" emphasizes the challenges faced, while "bad start to the day" focuses on the negative outcome or feeling. The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.