difficult to split

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to split" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that cannot be easily divided or separated, whether it be a physical object, a concept, or a task. Example: "The puzzle was so intricate that it was difficult to split the pieces apart without damaging them."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

And it's difficult to split a program in two without introducing bugs —without, say, losing track of which server needs to modify which variable at which point.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

While it is easy to measure the product of the two linear blocks using a Gaussian excitation and linear identification methods, it is difficult to split the global dynamics over the individual blocks.

Automatica

In nature, more than 99percentt of uranium is of a type called U-238, which is very difficult to split in a nuclear reaction and thus not good fuel for reactors or bombs.

The New York Times

And it does feel difficult to split the characters from the actors – people presume that she and Hart have been a double act for years, says Hadland, when in fact they only met when she auditioned for Miranda.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But it was for a single family, and "had some quirky things, not in a good way, that would have made it difficult to split it up into two separate units".

The New York Times

Given that Jaguar and Land Rover share factories, they may also be difficult to split apart, especially for a buyer (such as a private-equity group) that is not already a carmaker.And anyone taking on Jaguar would need good reason to believe that the future will be different from the recent past.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

It takes all your time to do that and it can be difficult trying to split those energies.

The New York Times

The notoriously difficult to resolve split between Xenafrotheria and Boreoplacentalia took place at ≈100 million years ago (Mya).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

It was difficult to accurately split the groups into responsive versus non-responsive patients because the response evaluation to medical treatment of DT is not clearly established: the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors are not adapted to these slow growing tumors.

Cancer Science

We have seen in Northern Ireland and the Balkans how difficult it is to split cities, and with Iraq's centralized and failing services and impoverished economy, violence and economics cannot be separated.

The New York Times

When the editors of the Web site Slashdot met in Chicago recently with colleagues from Sourceforge, they competed in a "team building" GPS-based quest run by Geoteaming.com that required them to prove they had solved the game by taking a picture of all team members at each point along the way, making it difficult for them to split up.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to split", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being split and why the splitting is challenging. For example, "The data was "difficult to split" into meaningful categories due to its inherent complexity."

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to split" without specifying the object or concept. Saying "It's "difficult to split"" without context leaves the reader wondering what you're referring to. Always provide clear context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to split" functions as an adjectival phrase followed by an infinitive, describing the characteristic of something that resists division or separation. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

52%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult to split" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression, as affirmed by Ludwig, that describes the characteristic of something that is challenging to divide or separate. Its usage spans diverse contexts, most commonly found in science and news media, indicating its broad applicability. Alternatives like "hard to separate" or "challenging to divide" can be used for variety. When employing this phrase, clarity is key: always specify what is being split and why the splitting is problematic. While it's suitable across registers, its prevalence in authoritative sources underscores its reliability in formal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to separate

This alternative uses "hard" instead of "difficult", offering a more direct synonym for expressing the challenge of separation.

challenging to divide

Replaces "difficult" with "challenging" and "split" with "divide", emphasizing the complexity involved.

not easily divisible

Focuses on the lack of divisibility, indicating that splitting is not a straightforward process.

resistant to separation

Highlights the inherent resistance of the object to being separated into parts.

problematic to disunite

This phrase uses more formal language, focusing on the problems associated with disuniting something.

nearly inseparable

Implies a very high degree of difficulty in separating, almost to the point of impossibility.

tough to cleave

Uses "tough" as a synonym for "difficult" and "cleave" as a more precise term for splitting, suggesting force is needed.

not readily fragmented

Emphasizes the lack of readiness for fragmentation, suggesting that special effort would be required to split it.

complex to partition

Highlights the complexity involved in partitioning something, often used in a more technical context.

impenetrable to splitting

Suggests that splitting is not only difficult but potentially impossible due to the object's nature.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to split" to describe something that is hard to divide or separate. For example, "The inheritance was "difficult to split" fairly among the siblings" or "The atom was "difficult to split" using conventional methods".

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

Alternatives include "hard to separate", "challenging to divide", or "not easily divisible", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "difficult to be split" instead of "difficult to split"?

While "difficult to be split" is grammatically correct, it's less common and often sounds more awkward than "difficult to split". The latter is generally preferred for its conciseness and directness.

What makes something "difficult to split"?

Something might be "difficult to split" due to its physical properties (like certain types of wood), its inherent complexity (like a complex computer program), or legal or ethical considerations (like dividing assets in a divorce).