difficult to determine with certainty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to determine with certainty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing situations or outcomes that are ambiguous or uncertain, where a definitive conclusion cannot be easily reached. Example: "The impact of climate change on local weather patterns is difficult to determine with certainty due to the complexity of the factors involved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Instead of grouping these anonymous carvings by country of origin (which is difficult to determine with certainty because craftsmen and tusks travelled to wherever commissions were plentiful), or date of creation (everything on view was made between the 13th and 15th centuries), Mr Lowden has gathered together objects of the same kind.

The Economist

And let's assume that his family is in fact wealthy, which would be difficult to determine with certainty.

BBC

However, comparisons cannot be deterministic if they are measuring ability because it is difficult to determine with certainty the classification of abilities as they are not necessarily fully observable.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

"Until the investigation is completed, it will be difficult to determine with certainty the full scope of the incident, but we will continue to work vigilantly to address this potential issue and will provide updates as we learn more from our investigation.

BBC

Of the tracks that continued to float around online, it became difficult to determine with certainty which were from Nilsen and Søderholm, and which were from other producers imitating the style, since many had been uploaded online without production credits.

Vice

Some of the mistakes were technical or arguably minor, and it is difficult to determine with certainty if they played a vital part in the court's reasoning and final judgments.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

First, rates of gene flow are hard to determine with certainty.

BMC Biology

In addition, patients with severe disease are also more likely to be given TNF-blocking drugs, and it is therefore difficult to determine with absolute certainty the actual risk of the drug independently from the presence of disease.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

10 The concept of "statistical cure" applies at a grouped level and is distinct from "medical cure" at an individual level, as it is difficult to determine with any certainty that someone has been medically cured.

British Medical Journal

It's difficult to determine with any degree of certainty.

Huffington Post

The paucity of data on the environmental impacts of these active ingredients in the New Zealand planted forest environment, however, means it is difficult to determine with a high degree of certainty whether or not the FSC classification is warranted when the herbicides in question are used in New Zealand planted forests.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to determine with certainty", provide context or reasons why certainty is elusive to add credibility to the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to determine with certainty" when there is clear evidence or a consensus view. Use it to convey genuine ambiguity or lack of conclusive data, not to weaken a well-supported claim.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to determine with certainty" functions as a qualifier, indicating a level of uncertainty or ambiguity regarding a specific determination. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound, functioning to express an inability to reach a definitive conclusion.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

32%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to determine with certainty" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express uncertainty or ambiguity. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts, indicating its use in situations where conclusive evidence is lacking. When using this phrase, it's best practice to provide context for the uncertainty. Alternatives like "hard to ascertain with confidence" or "challenging to establish with assurance" can be used to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to ascertain with confidence

Emphasizes the challenge in reaching a confident conclusion.

challenging to establish with assurance

Highlights the difficulty in providing a firm basis or proof.

not easy to ascertain definitively

Focuses on the lack of ease in arriving at a definitive understanding.

difficult to establish beyond doubt

Emphasizes the presence of lingering uncertainty.

impossible to know for sure

Conveys the idea that absolute knowledge is unattainable.

uncertain whether it can be decided

Suggests open for debate and without an easy answer.

remains unclear with any precision

Indicates a lack of clarity and exactness.

remains unconfirmed at the present time

Focuses on the lack of current validation.

cannot be said with any confidence

Emphasizes the lack of certainty or assurance.

subject to considerable debate

Indicates disagreement and lack of consensus.

FAQs

How can I use "difficult to determine with certainty" in a sentence?

Use "difficult to determine with certainty" when you want to express that reaching a definitive conclusion is challenging due to various factors. For example, "It is difficult to determine with certainty the long-term effects of the new policy."

What are some alternatives to "difficult to determine with certainty"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to ascertain with confidence", "challenging to establish with assurance", or "impossible to know for sure" depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "difficult to determine with certainty"?

Yes, the phrase "difficult to determine with certainty" is grammatically correct and widely used in both formal and informal writing. It clearly conveys the intended meaning of uncertainty or ambiguity.

What makes something "difficult to determine with certainty"?

Factors such as incomplete data, conflicting evidence, complex variables, or inherent unpredictability can make something "difficult to determine with certainty". For instance, predicting economic trends is often difficult to determine with certainty because of many unpredictable factors.