difficult to maintain

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "difficult to maintain" is correct and usable in written English.
You would use it when describing something that requires a lot of effort or difficulty in order to keep up or sustain. For example: The old car is proving difficult to maintain, requiring frequent repairs even after short drives.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It becomes difficult to maintain faith.

The New Yorker

It's also probably difficult to maintain.

Independent

Neutrality proved difficult to maintain, though.

The New York Times

It's difficult to maintain continuity".

The New York Times - Sports

"These blocks are really difficult to maintain.

The Guardian

"It was fragile architecture, difficult to maintain.

The New York Times

Which are the most difficult to maintain?

Harvard Business Review

Such compromises, however, are difficult to maintain.

The New York Times - Magazine

It's also expensive and difficult to maintain.

The New York Times

"They are difficult to generate and difficult to maintain".

The New York Times

Later, that sense of equality became difficult to maintain.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing systems or processes, use "difficult to maintain" to highlight potential long-term challenges and resource requirements.

Common error

Avoid simply stating something is "difficult to maintain" without explaining why. Providing specific reasons (e.g., high costs, complex procedures) enhances clarity and value.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to maintain" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive. According to Ludwig AI, it describes the level of challenge or complexity associated with keeping something in a particular condition or state. It expresses that considerable effort, resources, or specific actions are needed to prevent degradation or failure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

21%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Lifestyle

5%

Sport

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to maintain" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe something that requires considerable effort to keep in good condition. According to Ludwig AI, it effectively conveys the challenges associated with the long-term sustainability of systems, processes, or relationships. The phrase is versatile and appears frequently in news, scientific, and business contexts, although it maintains a neutral register suitable for various communication styles. When using "difficult to maintain", ensure you provide context to specify why something is challenging to sustain, enhancing the clarity and informative value of your writing. Consider alternatives like "hard to sustain" or "challenging to uphold" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to sustain

Replaces "difficult" with "hard" while retaining the same meaning related to sustaining something.

challenging to uphold

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "maintain" with "uphold", indicating a struggle to preserve something.

not easy to keep up

Uses a more informal tone, replacing "difficult to maintain" with a phrase emphasizing the effort required to continue something.

requires significant upkeep

Shifts the focus to the amount of effort (upkeep) needed, implying that it's not simple to maintain.

complicated to preserve

Replaces "difficult" with "complicated" and "maintain" with "preserve", suggesting complexity in keeping something in its current state.

laborious to continue

Emphasizes the effort involved, using "laborious" to describe the difficulty in continuing something.

tough to preserve

Uses "tough" as a synonym for "difficult" and "preserve" for "maintain", suggesting it's hard to keep something intact.

demands constant attention

Changes the focus from difficulty to the need for continuous effort, indicating high maintenance.

not sustainable

Indicates that something cannot be continued at the same rate or level, implying difficulty in maintaining it long-term.

proving unmanageable

Focuses on the aspect of control and indicates that maintaining something is becoming too difficult to manage.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to maintain" to describe anything that requires significant effort or resources to keep in its current state. For example, "The old machinery is "difficult to maintain" due to the scarcity of replacement parts."

What are some alternatives to saying "difficult to maintain"?

Alternatives include "hard to sustain", "challenging to uphold", or "requires significant upkeep", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "difficult maintaining" instead of "difficult to maintain"?

While "difficult maintaining" might be understood in some contexts, "difficult to maintain" is the grammatically correct and more widely accepted form.

What makes something "difficult to maintain"?

Something can be "difficult to maintain" due to various factors such as high costs, complex procedures, scarcity of resources, or the need for specialized skills.