difficult to schedule

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to schedule" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to an event, meeting, or task that is hard to arrange due to various constraints or conflicts. Example: "The project meeting has been difficult to schedule due to everyone's conflicting availability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

It had been difficult to schedule this fight.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Until that changes, the next North American summit will probably prove just as difficult to schedule.

The Economist

Once he got to campus, Nicholson found that his chemistry labs were difficult to schedule because they coincided with practice.

The New York Times - Sports

Writers for the Beacon often complained that it was difficult to schedule interviews with administrators on short notice.

The New York Times

These transmissions over IEEE 802.15.4 are allowed only at certain time slots, which are difficult to schedule when multiple control loops share the network.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

However, hobs of today suffer from unpredictable wear making it difficult to schedule when they should be taken out for reconditioning.

Wear

Even though such series are more difficult to schedule for that reason, they create excitement that networks need, Ms. Walden said.

The New York Times

Madison Square Garden is home to three sports teams, giving it a crowded calendar that makes it difficult to schedule concerts.

The New York Times

An aide explained that Mrs. Obama has chosen not to travel for the campaign on weekends, which makes it more difficult to schedule big public events.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

No broadcaster would give up its toehold in football for all the Ferraris in Cheshire, so losing a difficult-to-schedule sport such as formula one became an obvious exchange for the hard-pressed commercial broadcaster.

The Guardian

However, due to the uncertainty of wind characteristics and the limitation of forecasting precision, it is difficult to accurately schedule wind power generation.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to schedule", consider specifying the reason for the difficulty to provide more context. For example, "The meeting was difficult to schedule due to conflicting time zones."

Common error

Avoid simply stating something is "difficult to schedule" without providing any context. Instead, explain the specific constraints or obstacles, such as limited availability or resource conflicts, to offer a clearer understanding of the challenge.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to schedule" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, modifying a noun or pronoun. As Ludwig confirms, it describes the degree of ease with which something can be scheduled. It frequently appears in descriptions of events, meetings, or tasks.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

29%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult to schedule" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something is challenging to arrange. As Ludwig demonstrates, this phrase is versatile and appears frequently across various contexts, including news, science, and academic writing. While its meaning is straightforward, providing context and specifying the reasons behind the scheduling difficulty enhances clarity. Using alternative phrases such as "hard to arrange" or "challenging to coordinate" can also add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to arrange

Focuses on the difficulty in the arrangement process itself.

challenging to coordinate

Emphasizes the coordination aspect being problematic.

tough to organize

Highlights the organizational difficulties.

problematic to set up

Focuses on the initial setup phase.

inconvenient to plan

Stresses the inconvenience involved in planning.

not easy to timetable

More specific to creating a timetable or schedule.

awkward to coordinate

Highlights the awkwardness or lack of smoothness in coordination.

complicated to arrange

Emphasizes the complexity of the arrangement.

unwieldy to programme

Suggests the scheduling process is difficult to manage.

cumbersome to organize

Indicates that the organization is slow and inefficient.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to schedule" to describe an event or task that is hard to arrange. For example, "The interview was difficult to schedule because of the interviewer's travel commitments."

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

Alternatives include "hard to arrange", "challenging to coordinate", or "tough to organize" depending on the specific context.

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

Both "difficult to schedule" and "hard to schedule" are acceptable. "Difficult" is slightly more formal, while "hard" is more colloquial. The choice depends on the desired tone.

Why is it sometimes "difficult to schedule" certain events?

It can be "difficult to schedule" events due to various factors, such as conflicting schedules, limited resources, or logistical challenges.