difficult to guess

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'difficult to guess' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase whenever you want to express that a certain thing or situation is not easy to accurately guess or predict. For example, "The outcome of this election is proving to be difficult to guess."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was difficult to guess his age.

The Guardian

Of course, it was difficult to guess what people in that closed country were thinking.

The New York Times

What Rembrandt's own feelings about Jews may have been is difficult to guess.

The Guardian - Arts

Existing rules make it difficult to guess which regulations apply to which firms.

The New York Times

The Israeli disarray makes it difficult to guess about the Israeli requirements for a compromise.

The New Yorker

And it is not difficult to guess where he is headed.

The New York Times - Books

And if our largest-selling newspaper supports your political party … well, it's not difficult to guess the rest.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is difficult to guess how well the relationships among these characters would have been ascertained without Mr. Barenboim's prologue.

The New York Times - Arts

But as the novel's secret is revealed - and it isn't that difficult to guess - the joins begin to show.

The Guardian - Books

"And it's difficult to guess what people are thinking," says Pulido, "or the repercussions of us taking this long.

The Guardian - Music

But it is not difficult to guess what is propelling this 75-year-old Swiss who presides over the evolution of soccer.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to guess" to describe something abstract, provide context. Instead of saying 'the answer is difficult to guess', specify: 'the correct interpretation of the poem is difficult to guess without understanding its historical context'.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to guess" when simpler alternatives like 'unclear' or 'uncertain' suffice. Overusing complex phrases can make your writing sound unnecessarily convoluted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to guess" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating the degree of challenge involved in making an accurate prediction or estimation. It is often used to express uncertainty or a lack of clarity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to guess" is a versatile phrase used to express uncertainty and a lack of predictability. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and highlights its frequent use in news, scientific, and general contexts. While "difficult to guess" is suitable for many situations, considering alternatives like ""hard to predict"" or "challenging to ascertain" can enhance writing precision. Remember to provide context and avoid overuse in simple scenarios for clearer and more effective communication. This phrase is commonly found in authoritative sources, making it a reliable choice for expressing uncertainty in writing and speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to predict

Focuses on the prediction aspect, emphasizing the lack of certainty about future events.

challenging to ascertain

Emphasizes the difficulty in finding something out definitively.

not easy to foresee

Highlights the inability to anticipate events or outcomes.

uncertain to anticipate

Underscores the unpredictable nature of events before they happen.

tough to figure out

Focuses on the cognitive effort required to understand or determine something.

difficult to determine

Emphasizes the struggle to reach a firm conclusion or decision.

obscure to understand

Highlights the lack of clarity or transparency, making comprehension difficult.

not obvious to deduce

Focuses on the lack of straightforwardness in drawing conclusions.

unclear to anticipate

Emphasizes the lack of clarity around future possibilities.

like groping in the dark

Uses a metaphor to describe the experience of guessing without information

FAQs

What does "difficult to guess" mean?

It means that something is not easy to predict or determine accurately because the information is insufficient or unclear.

How to use "difficult to guess" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe situations where outcomes are uncertain. For example, "It is "hard to predict" the long-term effects of the policy change."

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

You can use alternatives like ""hard to predict"", "challenging to ascertain", or "not easy to foresee" depending on the context.

Is it "difficult to guess" or "hard to guess"?

Both are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. "Difficult to guess" might sound slightly more formal, while "hard to guess" is more common in everyday conversation.