difficult to designate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to designate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that is hard to identify, label, or assign a specific name or category to. Example: "The criteria for selecting the best candidate were so vague that it became difficult to designate anyone as the ideal choice."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"It's difficult to designate a specific point in time when they'll be able to do this," Austin said, offering instead "incremental" evidence of Kurdish success and an Iraqi division's advance toward Ramadi in support of a division already there.

The Guardian

As companies focus on their core business, it is even more difficult to designate funds for security, when it could be used by the part of the company that makes money.

Electronic Security Systems A Manager's Guide to Evaluating and Selecting System Solutions

It is difficult to designate one type of event as the pace-setter but certainly the corporate parties are in the vanguard.

Huffington Post

GWAS locate risk variants for the phenotype under study, but the underlying causal gene might be difficult to designate.

Clinical Epigenetics

However, using ICD9 codes, it can be difficult to designate a given invasive colon test as screening or diagnostic [ 17].

BMC Gastroenterology

Because the ileocecal region includes the area from the distal ileum to the cecum, it is often difficult to designate the ileocecal region as part of the small or large intestine.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

One striking benefit of the O-GlcNAc oxonium ion and its fragments is that they can serve as diagnostic ions for the presence of O-GlcNAc on certain peptides, although it would be difficult to accurately designate sites by using CID or HCD alone especially when there are more than one Ser/Thr residues in the peptide sequence.

Clinical Proteomics

This is because for those with lower CRF it is difficult to achieve absolute CPM commonly used to designate moderate or vigorous PA intensity (i.e. 3-6METs) [ 26].

BMC Geriatrics

In youth, the same traits have been used to designate a subgroup, i.e., difficult or impossible to treat and has more severe symptoms of aggression.

European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

In a society that has more than 300 terms to designate skin color, racial categories are much more elastic than in the United States, making it difficult to determine who is black and who is not.

The New York Times

We found it difficult to cross check if any EMS PCRs were missing from the main VSTORM dataset as the fields used to designate the PCR status had not been routinely completed.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to designate", ensure the context clearly explains what makes the designation challenging. Providing specific reasons enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to designate" without specifying what is difficult to designate. Lack of context can make the sentence vague and uninformative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to designate" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, indicating a challenge or obstacle in assigning a specific name, category, or role. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to designate" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey the challenge of assigning a precise name or category. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not overly common, it appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, clarity is key—specify what makes the designation challenging. Consider alternatives like "hard to pinpoint" or "challenging to identify" for slight variations in meaning. Remember, providing context will ensure your message is clear and impactful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to pinpoint

Emphasizes the challenge of identifying something precisely.

challenging to identify

Highlights the difficulty in recognizing or establishing something.

tough to specify

Focuses on the problem of defining something exactly.

not easy to determine

Indicates that finding something out requires effort and isn't straightforward.

difficult to ascertain

Suggests that something is difficult to discover through investigation.

hard to characterize

Highlights the difficulty in describing the main qualities of something.

challenging to categorize

Emphasizes the problem of classifying something into a specific group.

tough to classify

Focuses on the difficulty of assigning something to a category.

not straightforward to label

Indicates that assigning a name to something is complex.

difficult to ascribe

Highlights the difficulty of attributing something to a specific cause or origin.

FAQs

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

Use "difficult to designate" when you want to express that something is hard to identify, label, or assign a specific category. For example, "It is difficult to designate the exact cause of the problem."

What are some alternatives to "difficult to designate"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to pinpoint", "challenging to identify", or "tough to specify" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "difficult to designate"?

Yes, "difficult to designate" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English to express the challenge of identifying or labeling something.

What makes "difficult to designate" different from "difficult to identify"?

"Difficult to designate" specifically implies a challenge in assigning a name or category. While "difficult to identify" is more general, suggesting a challenge in recognizing something.