difficult to ascertain

USAGE SUMMARY

"difficult to ascertain" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you don't know the exact answer or you are not sure of something, and you are having difficulty getting more information or certainty. Example sentence: "The exact amount of damage caused by the storm is difficult to ascertain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

score difficult to ascertain.

The New Yorker

Data for military casualties are difficult to ascertain.

The Washington Post

The net effect of their impact is difficult to ascertain.

Independent

How widespread these cases are is difficult to ascertain.

The New York Times

Place of origin was more difficult to ascertain however.

Journal of Archaeological Science

Basic Contradictions Just who David Chang is has been difficult to ascertain.

The New York Times

It is difficult to ascertain from the volunteers which ones might seek such a role.

The New York Times

It is Iran -- not Iraq -- whose true policy on the issue has been difficult to ascertain.

The New York Times

Venezuela's opaque financing, though, made it difficult to ascertain exactly how many projects were completed.

The Washington Post

Another team official, however, acknowledged it's difficult to ascertain what Rendon is thinking.

The Washington Post

It is difficult to ascertain whether this strategy has been successful.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "difficult to ascertain" when emphasizing the complexity or obscurity involved in discovering or confirming a fact. It's more appropriate than simpler alternatives when the context calls for a formal or professional tone.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to ascertain" in casual conversations or informal writing. Opt for simpler phrases like "hard to tell" or "not sure" in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to ascertain" functions as an adjectival phrase followed by an infinitive, modifying a noun or pronoun. It indicates that a particular piece of information or fact is challenging to discover or establish. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this usage is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

41%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

5%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to ascertain" is a versatile phrase used to express that something is challenging to determine or discover. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, and its prevalence across diverse sources like News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias highlights its adaptability and widespread usage. While it’s important to avoid overuse in informal settings, mastering this phrase will enhance the precision and formality of your writing. Related alternatives include "hard to determine" and "challenging to establish", offering nuanced ways to convey the same core meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to determine

Replaces "ascertain" with "determine", keeping the core meaning but with a slightly simpler word.

difficult to establish with certainty

Adds emphasis on the lack of sureness in the determination.

challenging to establish

Replaces "difficult" with "challenging" and "ascertain" with "establish", suggesting a struggle to confirm something.

hard to pin down

Uses an idiom to suggest difficulty in defining or identifying something precisely.

elusive to determine

Emphasizes that the thing to ascertain is hard to grasp or find.

hard to come by

Suggests that the information is scarce or hard to obtain.

not easy to figure out

Uses more informal language to convey the difficulty in understanding or discovering something.

obscure to discover

Indicates that something is hidden or not well known, making discovery difficult.

not readily apparent

Indicates that something is not easily visible or understandable.

remains unclear

Shifts the focus to the state of being unknown rather than the difficulty in finding out.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to ascertain" to describe something that is not easy to find out or determine. For example, "The long-term effects of the policy change are "difficult to ascertain"."

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

You can use alternatives like "hard to determine", "not easy to figure out", or "challenging to establish" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "difficult to ascertain" or "hard to know"?

"Difficult to ascertain" is generally more formal than "hard to know". "Difficult to ascertain" is suitable for professional or academic writing, while "hard to know" is better suited for casual conversation.

What's the difference between "difficult to ascertain" and "impossible to ascertain"?

"Difficult to ascertain" means something is hard to find out, but not necessarily impossible. "Impossible to ascertain" means it is completely impossible to determine something.