difficult to sustain

USAGE SUMMARY

"difficult to sustain" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is most commonly used to describe actions or efforts that require a lot of time and energy to maintain. For example: "This marathon training program is difficult to sustain during the summer months."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Vigilance is difficult to sustain.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Spectacular early results proved difficult to sustain.

The New Yorker

These institutions are difficult to sustain.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

But they are remarkably difficult to sustain.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

It's very difficult to sustain that".

The Guardian - Tech

The downturn made it more difficult to sustain that growth.

University of Pennsylvania

But I did not find it difficult to sustain.

The Guardian - Books

"It is increasingly difficult to sustain the traditional programs".

The New York Times

Yet this illusion is increasingly difficult to sustain.

The Guardian - Opinion

However, the apprenticeship model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

The New Yorker

Korea's aging population and low interest rate make it difficult to sustain.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to sustain", consider the specific aspect of maintenance that is challenging. For instance, is it the financial cost, the physical effort, or the emotional investment?

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to sustain" as a vague statement. Instead, specify what makes it challenging to maintain, such as "difficult to sustain momentum" or "difficult to sustain interest".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to sustain" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating that something is challenging to maintain or continue. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and widely used. Examples from Ludwig show it applying to vigilance, growth, and traditional programs.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficult to sustain" is a versatile and commonly used phrase to describe something that presents challenges in being maintained or continued. As Ludwig AI points out, it's a correct and widely accepted phrase. It appears frequently in news, academic, and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, specify what makes it challenging to maintain something, like financial costs, resources, or complexity. Remember, while alternatives such as ""hard to maintain"" or ""unsustainable"" exist, the best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to maintain

Replaces "sustain" with "maintain", focusing on the effort required to keep something in its current state.

challenging to uphold

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "sustain" with "uphold", emphasizing the effort needed to support or defend something.

tough to keep up

Uses more informal language, replacing "difficult" with "tough" and "sustain" with "keep up", suggesting a struggle to maintain pace or standard.

not easily maintained

Rephrases to focus on the ease of maintenance, conveying the same difficulty in a different structure.

unsustainable

A more concise, single-word alternative implying that something cannot be maintained over time.

hard to continue

Focuses on the continuation aspect, suggesting difficulty in prolonging something.

increasingly problematic to maintain

Highlights a growing level of difficulty and shifts the focus slightly to the problems that arise.

faces challenges in continuation

More formal and abstract, emphasizing the challenges to ongoing progress.

difficult to perpetuate

Replaces "sustain" with "perpetuate", highlighting the challenge of causing something to continue indefinitely.

tough to prolong

Similar to "hard to continue" but uses "prolong" to stress the effort required to extend the duration.

FAQs

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

You can use "difficult to sustain" to describe something challenging to maintain, such as "The initial enthusiasm was "difficult to sustain" over the long term".

What are some alternatives to "difficult to sustain"?

Alternatives include "hard to maintain", "challenging to uphold", or "unsustainable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What makes something "difficult to sustain"?

Something might be "difficult to sustain" due to various factors, such as high costs, lack of resources, declining interest, or increasing complexity.

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

Both "difficult to sustain" and "hard to sustain" are grammatically correct and widely used. The choice depends on the desired level of formality, with "difficult" being slightly more formal than "hard".