difficult to obtained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to obtained" is not correct in English.
It should be "difficult to obtain." You can use the corrected phrase when describing something that is hard to acquire or achieve. Example: "The rare artifact was difficult to obtain due to its high demand among collectors."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Moreover, it is extremely difficult to obtained precise information about the mode of transport used.

Journal of Shipping and Trade

Because of the cylinder, it was difficult to obtained good tracking results with the finger laying on the cylinder's surface and pointing in the y direction (both positive and negative).

ROBOMECH Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Details are difficult to obtain.

The Economist

Some are extremely difficult to obtain.

The New York Times

Clear information proved, in the end, difficult to obtain.

The Guardian - Books

Accurate figures on mobile wallet payments are difficult to obtain.

The Guardian - Tech

But these cells are rare and difficult to obtain.

The New York Times

Permission for wiretaps is more difficult to obtain.

The New York Times

Points will be difficult to obtain on the road.

The New York Times - Sports

difficult to obtain in traditional reactors.

Chemical Engineering Science

Now, such financing is difficult to obtain, at best.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form: "difficult to obtain". Double-check your writing to avoid this common grammatical error.

Common error

A frequent mistake is using the past participle form ("obtained") instead of the base form ("obtain") after the infinitive marker "to". Remember that "to" is followed by the base form of the verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is intended to function as an adjective phrase, describing the level of challenge associated with getting or acquiring something. However, it contains a grammatical error according to Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to obtained" is a grammatically incorrect construction. The correct form is "difficult to obtain". This error involves using the past participle ("obtained") instead of the base form ("obtain") after the infinitive marker "to". As Ludwig AI indicates, it should be "difficult to obtain." While some instances of the incorrect phrase appear in Science and News & Media, it's crucial to use the grammatically correct version in writing. Alternatives like "difficult to acquire" or "hard to get" can also be used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to acquire

Replaces "obtain" with "acquire", a synonym, maintaining the same grammatical structure.

hard to get

Uses simpler vocabulary to convey the same meaning; "hard" instead of "difficult" and "get" instead of "obtain".

challenging to secure

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "obtain" with "secure", providing a more formal tone.

not easy to come by

Employs an idiomatic expression with a slightly more informal feel.

tough to find

Replaces "difficult" with "tough" and "obtain" with "find", creating a more casual tone.

scarcely available

Focuses on the limited availability rather than the difficulty in obtaining it.

rarely accessible

Highlights the infrequency of access, shifting the emphasis from the act of obtaining to the possibility of accessing.

difficult to come across

Uses the phrasal verb "come across" instead of "obtain", suggesting an element of chance in finding something.

elusive to obtain

Replaces "difficult" with "elusive", suggesting that the subject is hard to grasp or find.

complex to achieve

Shifts the focus to the complexity of achieving something, rather than the difficulty of obtaining it.

FAQs

How to correctly use the phrase "difficult to obtain" in a sentence?

The correct phrase is "difficult to obtain". Example: "The rare artifact was "difficult to obtain" due to its high demand among collectors."

What's the difference between "difficult to obtain" and "difficult to obtained"?

"Difficult to obtain" is the grammatically correct form. The phrase "difficult to obtained" is incorrect because "to" should be followed by the base form of the verb (obtain), not the past participle (obtained).

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

You can use alternatives like "difficult to acquire", "hard to get", or "challenging to secure" depending on the context.

Is "difficult to obtain" formal or informal?

The phrase ""difficult to obtain"" is generally considered neutral to formal. More informal options include "hard to get" or "tough to find".