difficult to feed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to feed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a person, animal, or situation that presents challenges when it comes to providing food or nourishment. Example: "The baby was difficult to feed, often turning away from the spoon and refusing to eat."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

"They are difficult to hold, difficult to feed and they're stinky," the senior veterinarian said.

The Guardian

"It's very difficult to feed everyone in this compound," she said.

The New Yorker

Climate change will make it increasingly difficult to feed the world.

MIT Technology Review

It can be difficult to feed the girls in restaurants when I'm by myself, but I'm comfortable here.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Now, I don't have many customers and it's becoming difficult to feed my own family," she said.

The Guardian

Why We Will Need Genetically Modified Foods Climate change will make it increasingly difficult to feed the world.

MIT Technology Review

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

The networks are hostage to advertising needs, and that's a very difficult beast to feed, which means that ratings and how well a show is performing constantly come into play".

The Guardian

Aedes luteocephalus was tested only at 15 dpi because this species is difficult to rear, feed and maintain in the laboratory, so a small sample was available.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Food prices are rising sharply, and with more than 4 out of 5 Burundians already living on less than $1.25 a day, more and more families will find it difficult to adequately feed their children.

Unicef

The same warming is already causing crops to fail across the tropics and will make it increasingly difficult for us to feed our ballooning human population.

The New York Times

In association-sponsored commercials on television and radio, homemakers spout the spurious argument that such a tax would make it more difficult for them to feed their families.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a patient's condition, use "difficult to feed" to objectively state the challenges in providing them with adequate nutrition. For example: "Due to the patient's dysphagia, they are now considered "difficult to feed".

Common error

While precision is important, avoid using overly complex medical terms when communicating with non-medical audiences. Instead of saying "the patient presents with anorexic tendencies making enteral nutrition challenging", opt for "the patient has a poor appetite and is "difficult to feed" via feeding tube".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to feed" functions primarily as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun (often implied or directly stated) to describe a characteristic of being challenging to provide nourishment. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

22%

Science

21%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to feed" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe challenges in providing nourishment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is readily usable in English. Analysis of usage patterns reveals its prevalence in news, business, and scientific contexts. While alternatives like "hard to nourish" exist, "difficult to feed" remains a clear and widely understood way to convey feeding-related problems. Remember to tailor your language to your audience, avoiding jargon when possible. Given that the query is present in many contexts, its use in written english appears robust.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to nourish

Replaces "difficult" with "hard" and "feed" with "nourish", focusing on the provision of sustenance.

challenging to provide sustenance

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and uses a more formal term, "sustenance", for food.

not easy to give nourishment

Emphasizes the ease of providing nourishment using a more descriptive approach.

presents feeding challenges

Shifts the focus to the challenges associated with feeding, using a noun-based structure.

poses nutritional difficulties

Highlights the nutritional aspects of the difficulty, using more formal language.

is a feeding problem

Simplifies the phrase to identify a core problem related to feeding.

requires special feeding assistance

Focuses on the need for assistance when feeding, implying difficulty.

has trouble consuming food

Emphasizes the act of consumption and the associated trouble.

struggles with food intake

Uses "struggles" to convey the difficulty and focuses on the intake of food.

experiences feeding obstacles

Highlights the obstacles encountered during feeding.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to feed" to describe a person or animal that has trouble eating. For example, "The rescued kitten was "difficult to feed" at first, but eventually started eating well."

What are some alternative ways to say "difficult to feed"?

Alternatives include phrases like "hard to nourish", "challenging to provide sustenance", or "presents feeding challenges". The best choice depends on the specific context.

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

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase follows standard English grammar rules, using an adjective followed by an infinitive verb.

What does it mean when someone is described as "difficult to feed"?

It means that they have challenges or obstacles related to eating. This could be due to medical conditions, behavioral issues, or other factors.