difficult to refine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to refine" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is challenging to improve or make more precise, such as a process, idea, or product. Example: "The initial design of the software was promising, but it proved to be difficult to refine into a user-friendly interface."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

The ores were low-grade, often varied in content, and were difficult to refine.

Britannica

But the oil is difficult to refine, and the huge investment required is hampered by the government's insistence on overvaluing the bolívar.

The Economist

Hassake Province produces heavy crude, which is harder to extract, more difficult to refine and sells at lower prices than lighter oils.

The New York Times

(b) While it may be difficult to refine the Katz test in some instances, in the case of the search of a home’s interior–the prototypical and hence most commonly litigated area of protected privacy–there is a ready criterion, with roots deep in the common law, of the minimal expectation of privacy that exists, and that is acknowledged to be reasonable.

Cornell University

The principal solvent was identifiable as benzene from the initial structure solution, but was extremely difficult to refine because it exhibits librational disorder (Fig. 6).

Chemistry Central Journal

While many retailers try to present product search in a visually appealing way, search can often be slow or difficult to refine.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

One small interview-based study showed promising results, but because psychedelics are hard to refine to medical purity and offer little profit motive for pharmaceutical companies to investigate them, Green said, forming large-scale regular psychedelic studies is difficult.

Vice

The impact of the law will be most keenly felt in the region considered most vital to Venezuela's future -- the Orinoco belt of eastern Venezuela, where ExxonMobil, TotalFinaElf of France, the Phillips Petroleum Company and other large multinationals have in recent years signed contracts to pump difficult-to-refine heavy oil.

The New York Times

It is not difficult to further refine this estimate upon consideration of the harmonic function involved following the arguments given for Corollary 2. What is remarkable here is that the global geometric estimates one achieves on the stream lines do not depend on the complexity of the object.

Complex Analysis and its Synergies

Some analysts expressed skepticism that the new oil the Saudis were talking about could make much difference in the market, because it is mainly heavy and high in sulfur; demand for that type of oil is much weaker than for the benchmark light sweet grade because it is more difficult and expensive to refine.

The New York Times

Moving forward, it wouldn't be difficult for the SBA to refine their definitions while still helping millions of business owners and entrepreneurs.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to refine", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being refined. Specificity enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to refine" without specifying the object or process being refined. For example, instead of saying "The method was difficult to refine", state "The method was difficult to refine for large-scale applications".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to refine" functions as an adjective phrase modifying an implied or stated noun. It describes the quality of something being challenging to improve or perfect. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to refine" aptly describes the challenge of improving or perfecting something. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's a usable and correct expression. Its primary function is to express a degree of difficulty in achieving precision, primarily in contexts like science, news, and academia. While alternatives such as "hard to perfect" or "challenging to improve" exist, "difficult to refine" carries a specific nuance suited for scenarios where the process of refinement is central. Remember to clearly specify what is difficult to refine for maximum clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to perfect

Replaces "refine" with "perfect", emphasizing the challenge in achieving flawlessness.

challenging to improve

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "refine" with "improve", focusing on the demanding nature of the enhancement.

tough to fine-tune

Uses "tough" instead of "difficult" and "fine-tune" instead of "refine", highlighting the struggle in making precise adjustments.

problematic to optimize

Replaces "difficult" with "problematic" and "refine" with "optimize", suggesting issues in achieving the best possible outcome.

complex to streamline

Employs "complex" for "difficult" and "streamline" for "refine", indicating intricacy in simplifying and making more efficient.

tricky to purify

Uses "tricky" as a synonym for "difficult" and replaces "refine" with "purify", suggesting challenges in removing unwanted elements.

awkward to hone

Replaces "difficult" with "awkward" and "refine" with "hone", emphasizing clumsiness in perfecting something.

cumbersome to polish

Substitutes "difficult" with "cumbersome" and "refine" with "polish", focusing on the burdensome nature of improving the surface quality.

laborious to distill

Uses "laborious" instead of "difficult" and "distill" instead of "refine", suggesting a demanding effort in extracting the essence.

unwieldy to perfect

Replaces "difficult" with "unwieldy" and uses "perfect" instead of "refine", emphasizing the unmanageable nature of achieving flawlessness.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to refine" to describe something that poses a challenge to improve or make more precise. For example: "The initial design of the software was promising, but it proved to be "difficult to refine" into a user-friendly interface".

What are some alternatives to "difficult to refine"?

Alternatives include "hard to perfect", "challenging to improve", or "tough to fine-tune", depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "difficult to refine"?

It is appropriate to use "difficult to refine" when you want to express the challenge in making something more precise, improved, or perfected. This is suitable in academic, technical, or general contexts where precision is important.

Is "difficult to refine" formal or informal?

The phrase "difficult to refine" is generally neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, it is more commonly found in technical or academic writing where precise language is valued.