difficult to hear

USAGE SUMMARY

"difficult to hear" is a perfectly acceptable phrase to use in written English.
You can use it to describe when an event or message is hard to understand, or when something is said in a way that is not easy to understand - often because it is spoken quietly, or there is a lot of background noise. For example, "The teacher's instructions were difficult to hear over the noise of the other students."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

English glosses difficult to hear.

University of California, Berkeley

That was difficult to hear".

The Guardian - Opinion

Description: English glosses extremely difficult to hear.

University of California, Berkeley

It is also distinctly difficult to hear.

The Guardian - Books

"So it's difficult to hear something that's incorrect and inaccurate.

Independent

Perez said it was difficult to hear negative feedback.

The New York Times - Sports

Some combinations of notes are difficult to hear clearly.

Cornell University

And difficult to hear the teachings of the Buddha.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Some detainees told me things that were difficult to hear.

The Guardian - Books

That means it can be difficult to hear the TV.

The Guardian - Tech

It was difficult to hear because of the music.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to hear", specify the reason for the difficulty. Providing context, such as background noise or speaker's volume, enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to hear" without explaining why the sound is hard to perceive. Without context, the statement lacks informative value for the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to hear" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe the audibility of something. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is a perfectly acceptable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Academia

30%

Science

11%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to hear" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something not easily audible, according to Ludwig. It spans across various contexts, from academia and news to everyday conversations. Ludwig's examples showcase its usage in describing challenges in perceiving auditory information due to factors like noise or low volume. When employing this phrase, providing context regarding the cause of the difficulty enhances clarity. Alternatives like ""hard to make out"" or ""barely audible"" offer nuanced ways to express similar ideas.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely audible

Highlights the sound being at the very edge of audibility.

hard to make out

Focuses on the inability to distinguish the sound clearly.

faintly audible

Indicates a low sound volume, making it challenging to perceive.

muffled

Suggests the sound is not clear because something is blocking it.

inaudible

Emphasizes the complete lack of audibility.

hard to catch

Implies effort is needed to perceive the sound.

tough to discern

Highlights the difficulty in distinguishing the sound from background noise or other sounds.

hard to understand

Focuses on the comprehension aspect of speech, not just audibility.

scarcely perceptible

Underscores how slight the sound is.

unclear

Highlights the ambiguous nature of the sound or message, making it difficult to grasp.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to hear" to describe sounds that are not easily audible due to various factors. For example, "The speaker's voice was "difficult to hear" because of the loud music".

What are some alternatives to "difficult to hear"?

Alternatives include "hard to make out", "barely audible", or "muffled", depending on the specific reason why the sound is not clear.

Is it better to say "difficult to hear" or "hard to hear"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and widely accepted. "Difficult to hear" is slightly more formal, while "hard to hear" is more common in everyday conversation.

What makes something "difficult to hear"?

Various factors can make something "difficult to hear", such as low volume, background noise, distance from the sound source, or hearing impairments. The specific cause should be mentioned to provide sufficient context.