difficult to console

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to console" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to describe something that is hard to make someone feel better about, for example: "The magnitude of the tragedy left many of the victims' families feeling difficult to console."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Boys with A.S.D. (they outnumber girls four to one) who were difficult to console, to teach, to restrain at age 4 or 8 can be nearly impossible for parents and teachers to manage and to steer at 14 and 18.

The New York Times - Magazine

Others may be very irritable, cry for long periods of time, and be difficult to console [45].

Plosone

The first child was a baby of two months old, who cried in a different way than before and was difficult to console.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

As a minister, it is a difficult task to console the families and friends of people who have succumbed to a sickness that you know could have--should have--been prevented or cured.

Huffington Post

The elder Mr. Olson later said that it was difficult to find words to console his son.

The New York Times

"It is He who watches me from above and is there to console me in difficult times".

The Guardian

The president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, has stated that the pope wants "to get close to Mexico's men and women to console us in the difficult times we are living through due to insecurity, inequality, poverty, corruption and violence, and to show us the way in compassionate love towards integral development that excludes no one".

Huffington Post

In an effort to console me, my son Isaac put it all this way: "As difficult as it appears now for Jews in the world, compare our situation to where we were a hundred years ago.

Huffington Post

I tried to console her.

The New York Times

Wallace tried to console him.

The New York Times - Books

To console myself, I began to cook.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to console", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what is experiencing difficulty in being comforted. For example, specify whether it's a person, a group, or a situation.

Common error

Avoid ambiguous phrasing that could imply the person offering comfort is the one experiencing difficulty. Rephrase to clearly state who is "difficult to console".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to console" primarily functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun (often a person or group) to describe their state. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable. It indicates a quality or characteristic of being hard to comfort.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to console" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, although its usage is relatively rare. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it effectively conveys the challenge of comforting someone, primarily appearing in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure that the subject experiencing the difficulty in being consoled is clear, and avoid phrasing that might misattribute the difficulty. Semantically related alternatives include "hard to comfort" and "challenging to soothe", which can be used depending on the specific shade of meaning you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to comfort

Replaces "difficult" with "hard", a direct synonym, to convey the same level of challenge.

challenging to soothe

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "console" with "soothe", emphasizing the effort required.

not easily comforted

Uses a passive construction to highlight the state of the person needing comfort.

resistant to consolation

Emphasizes the person's resistance to being comforted, suggesting a deeper emotional state.

unresponsive to solace

Focuses on the lack of response to attempts at providing comfort or relief.

a challenge to appease

Shifts the focus to appeasing someone, suggesting a need to pacify or satisfy them.

unreachable with comfort

Suggests the person is in a state where comfort cannot reach them.

beyond consolation

Implies the situation or person is in a state where comfort is no longer effective or possible.

insusceptible to comfort

Indicates an inability to be influenced or affected by attempts at comforting.

past comforting

Suggests the person has moved beyond a state where comfort can provide relief.

FAQs

What does "difficult to console" mean?

It means that someone or something is hard to comfort or make feel better. It implies a state of distress that is not easily alleviated.

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

You can use alternatives like "hard to comfort", "challenging to soothe", or "not easily comforted depending on the context.

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

Example: "The child, overwhelmed by the loss, was difficult to console." This shows that the child's distress made comforting them a challenge.

What's the difference between "difficult to console" and "difficult to comfort"?

While very similar, "difficult to console" often implies a deeper sense of loss or grief, whereas "difficult to comfort" can apply to a broader range of emotional distress.