difficult to capture

USAGE SUMMARY

"difficult to capture" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean something that is challenging or difficult to obtain, understand, or pin down. For example, "The environmental impact of industrialization is difficult to capture in just one study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Was it difficult to capture her voice?

The Guardian - Books

"There are always intangibles that are very difficult to capture.

The Guardian - Sport

Consequently women are more difficult to capture than men.

The Guardian - Tech

But I find it very difficult to capture this.

The New York Times

It is difficult to capture spiritual experience in a photograph.

The New York Times

It was very fleet of foot and difficult to capture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Others are much more elusive and difficult to capture on paper, though I know they exist.

The Guardian - Film

It's very difficult to capture how much of holiday spending that represents.

The New York Times

(In the 1850s it was too difficult to capture both sky and sea in one image).

The New York Times

It's not difficult to capture Ebbets Field's legendary intimacy at KeySpan Park.

The New York Times - Arts

But before the digital era, twilight was also notoriously difficult to capture on film.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "difficult to capture" when discussing data or information that is hard to collect or quantify. This emphasizes the limitations of your research or analysis.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to capture" when a simpler phrase like "hard to find" or "hard to understand" would suffice. The phrase is most effective when emphasizing the nuanced challenges of representation or quantification.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to capture" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe something that is challenging to obtain, understand, or accurately represent. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

56%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult to capture" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that describes something challenging to represent, obtain, or understand. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and broad applicability. It is particularly useful in formal and scientific writing, as well as news media, to express the elusiveness of abstract concepts or the complexity of data. When using this phrase, remember to consider simpler alternatives for less nuanced situations and ensure you're emphasizing a genuine challenge in representation or understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to represent

Focuses on the challenge of accurately depicting or portraying something.

challenging to obtain

Highlights the difficulty in acquiring or achieving something.

hard to pin down

Focuses on the challenge of defining something precisely or committing to a specific position.

tough to grasp

Emphasizes the difficulty in understanding or comprehending something.

complex to register

Highlights the fact that something is complex to notice.

elusive to document

Indicates that something is hard to record or register due to its fleeting nature.

arduous to document

Highlights the fact that something is difficult to document.

problematic to ascertain

Highlights the difficulties in determining something with certainty.

not straightforward to obtain

Highlights the fact that something is not straightforward to obtain.

not easily quantifiable

Points out the impossibility of measuring or expressing something numerically.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to capture" to describe something elusive or hard to represent accurately, such as "The essence of her performance was "difficult to capture" in a photograph".

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

You can use alternatives like "hard to represent", "challenging to obtain", or "tough to grasp" depending on the context.

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

Both phrases are grammatically correct and have similar meanings, but "difficult to capture" can sometimes convey a more nuanced or complex challenge than "hard to capture".

In what situations is "difficult to capture" most appropriate?

"Difficult to capture" is most appropriate when describing abstract concepts, complex phenomena, or fleeting moments that are challenging to represent accurately or quantify effectively.