difficult to acquire

USAGE SUMMARY

"difficult to acquire" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing something that is hard to obtain or achieve. Example: "The rare artifact is difficult to acquire due to its high demand." Alternative expressions include "hard to obtain" and "challenging to secure."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Private firms are more difficult to acquire.

The Guardian - Business

It is difficult to acquire the accurate relative module positions.

Measurement

"Coffee, tea, spices, and wine quickly became difficult to acquire.

The New York Times

They're difficult to acquire and expensive to raise.

The New York Times - Magazine

Laparoscopic suturing is an advanced skill that is difficult to acquire.

Stanford University

Open systems have a reputation for being difficult to acquire, poorly documented, and hard to maintain.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

He earns just $1.8 million, which makes it difficult to acquire a player of equal value.

The New York Times

Families of modest means find it increasingly difficult to acquire land and build on it.

The New York Times

"It's difficult to acquire assets in Russia these days if you're not a Russian company".

The New York Times

Unfortunately, limited by current technologies, it is significantly difficult to acquire the exact traffic matrix.

Journal of Network and Computer Applications

Meanwhile, certain guideline categories were proven to be more difficult to acquire or apply than others.

Computers in Human Behavior

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "difficult to acquire" when you want to emphasize the challenge or effort involved in obtaining something, rather than simply stating it is unavailable.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to acquire" when "unavailable" or "impossible to obtain" is more accurate. Overstating the difficulty can undermine the credibility of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to acquire" functions as an adjective phrase modifying an implied or stated noun. It describes the characteristic of something being not easily obtained or achieved, indicating a degree of challenge or effort involved. Ludwig AI validates this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

42%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult to acquire" is a versatile and commonly used expression that describes something not easily obtained. It is grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig, and appears frequently in diverse contexts such as science, news, and business. While alternatives like ""hard to come by"" or "challenging to secure" exist, "difficult to acquire" maintains a neutral to formal tone suitable for various writing styles. Remember to use it accurately, avoiding overstatements, and considering the underlying reasons for the difficulty to enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to come by

Emphasizes scarcity or rarity making something not easily available.

not easily obtainable

Focuses on the act of obtaining and the level of ease involved.

challenging to secure

Highlights the effort needed to secure or ensure possession.

tough to procure

Uses a more formal term "procure" suggesting a formal acquisition process is not straightforward.

requires significant effort to obtain

Expands on the amount of effort needed, making it less concise.

not readily available

Highlights the lack of immediate availability.

scarce and in demand

Focuses on both the limited availability and high demand.

access is restricted

Highlights limitations on accessibility.

presents procurement obstacles

Highlights the existence of hurdles or barriers in the procurement process.

demands considerable resources to obtain

Stresses the resources needed, like time, money or manpower to obtain.

FAQs

How can I use "difficult to acquire" in a sentence?

You can use "difficult to acquire" to describe something that is hard to obtain or achieve. For example: "The necessary skills are "hard to come by"", which makes the task "difficult to acquire".

What can I say instead of "difficult to acquire"?

You can use alternatives like ""hard to come by"", "not easily obtainable", or "challenging to secure" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "difficult to acquire" or "hard to acquire"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and convey the same meaning. "Difficult to acquire" is slightly more formal, while "hard to acquire" is more common in everyday conversation.

What makes something "difficult to acquire"?

Something can be "difficult to acquire" due to various factors such as scarcity, high cost, legal restrictions, or complex procedures.