difficult to indicate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to indicate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is hard to specify or point out clearly. Example: "The reasons for the sudden change in policy are difficult to indicate without further context."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The expression of nuance and feeling is immensely difficult to indicate directly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But the finer musical points are more difficult to indicate and must eventually stem from the performer himself or from a performance tradition with which he is familiar.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Difficult as it may be to define economics, it is not difficult to indicate the sorts of questions that concern economists.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Despite some technical difficulties ResearchGate comments don't allow superscripts or subscripts, which can make it difficult to indicate quantities or write chemical formulas the ability of other scientists to ask questions and make comments is making this a really interesting experiment.

Science Magazine

Moderate transitions and broad mosaics are difficult to indicate in a vector vegetation map, whereas RS probabilistic classifications can output images indicating core areas, important for key species and biodiversity pattern, and transitional zones, important for ecosystem processes and perhaps plant evolution, which distinction is important for conservation planning.

Ecological Informatics

Hence, it is difficult to indicate the precise reason (cause and effect) for the participant's laryngeal hypersensitivity; however, this study describes the first structured, controlled, repeatable, and randomized design to investigate odor induced laryngeal hypersensitivity and decipher possible secondary gain from true laryngeal hypersensitivity.

Journal of Voice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Participants are asked to think of their usual thoughts and actions while faced with a difficult situation and to indicate their answers on a four-point Likert-type scale, rating the resemblance of each item to coping efforts pursued.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

However, they were less likely to employ the lexicographic strategy in simpler tasks and when its use was difficult to justify, indicating an adaptive use.

Cognitive Development

An adaptive finite element approximation ensures a higher density of nodes in a certain area of the given domain, where the solution is more difficult to approximate, indicated by a posteriori error estimators.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

The result of the third channel that acquired the acceleration in the tunneling direction shows a frequency of 205.5 Hz that is near to theoretical natural frequency of the bending vibration of the piston rod of the gripper cylinder, however, the frequencies are mixed together and difficult to be indicated.

Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering

As already pointed out by several authors, tools for de novo TE identification are "quite difficult to use, indicating the need for better user interfaces and auto-optimization" [32].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to indicate", ensure the context clearly explains why the subject is challenging to specify. Providing additional information or examples can enhance clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to indicate" as a placeholder without explaining the underlying reasons for the difficulty. Always elaborate on the specific challenges or complexities involved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to indicate" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun (often implied) to describe the attribute of being hard to specify or point out clearly. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

15%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to indicate" is a commonly used phrase to express the challenge of specifying or pointing something out clearly. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase as correct and usable in written English. Its usage spans various contexts, from scientific research to news reporting, although it appears most frequently in scientific literature. While grammatically sound, it's important to provide adequate context to explain why something is "difficult to indicate". Alternatives include "hard to specify" or "challenging to pinpoint", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and context to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to specify

Replaces "difficult" with "hard", offering a simpler alternative.

challenging to pinpoint

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "indicate" with "pinpoint", suggesting a higher degree of precision required.

not easy to determine

Replaces "difficult to indicate" with a more descriptive phrase focusing on the challenge of determination.

complex to define

Emphasizes the complexity involved in defining something, instead of just indicating it.

not straightforward to identify

Suggests that identifying the subject requires some effort and is not immediately obvious.

problematic to delineate

Implies there are inherent issues in clearly marking the boundaries or scope of something.

tricky to ascertain

Replaces the words "difficult" and "indicate" with near-synonyms, with tricky implying a slightly less formal register.

obscure to denote

Shifts the focus to the obscurity of the subject, making it hard to clearly mark or represent.

elusive to signify

The nuance of elusiveness is added, where finding something could be challenging.

imprecise to suggest

Emphasizes the lack of precision, thus making something difficult to be indicated.

FAQs

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

Use "difficult to indicate" when you want to express that something is not easy to specify or point out clearly. For example, "The precise causes of the phenomenon are difficult to indicate without further research".

What are some alternatives to "difficult to indicate"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to specify", "challenging to pinpoint", or "not easy to determine" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "difficult to indicate" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "difficult to indicate" in both formal and informal writing when you need to convey that something is not easily defined or pointed out due to complexity or lack of information.

What's the difference between "difficult to indicate" and "difficult to describe"?

"Difficult to indicate" suggests a challenge in specifying or pointing out something, while "difficult to describe" implies a challenge in conveying something with words. The former deals with specification, the latter with verbal explanation.