difficult to take in

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to take in" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It means something is hard to understand or comprehend. For example: - "The complex scientific concepts in the book were difficult to take in." - "The news of her sudden death was too overwhelming and difficult to take in." - "The instructions for the new software were difficult to take in, so I asked for help."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

"It was difficult to take in".

The Guardian

To see what you had to see on TV was very difficult to take in".

The New York Times - Sports

Dane admits that everything was difficult to take in at first because he didn't realise quite how big London is.

Independent

I'm so overcome by the beauty of this place I'm finding it difficult to take in oxygen.

The Guardian - Travel

All this was difficult to take in because the cold and the wind were pulling so much water into my eyes.

The New Yorker

In this age of media overload it seems we find it difficult to take in much more than a sound bite or headline.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

As for Pozzo, "It's a very difficult part to take in if you're not used to being onstage".

The New York Times

Ferris commented on his decision to abstain from alcohol that it's "a difficult decision to take in the building in which we work".

The Guardian

This vociferous support by the technological elite has made the refusal to contemplate existential risk seriously a difficult stance to take in 2015.

HuffPost

The emotional impact of having been diagnosed with cancer, however, made it difficult for patients to take in information on PFMT.

BMC Health Services Research

Nurse interview DS-RS22-03b_NS17_Interview The data strongly suggests that this large volume of information may be difficult for patients to take in initially.

BMC Nursing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing complex or emotionally charged information, use "difficult to take in" to acknowledge the potential struggle in comprehension or acceptance. This shows empathy and encourages clearer communication.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to take on" when you mean "difficult to take in". "Difficult to take on" implies accepting a responsibility or challenge, not understanding information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to take in" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun by describing something as challenging to understand or accept. Ludwig examples show it applying to news, situations, and concepts. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to take in" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe something that is challenging to understand or accept. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase functions as an adjectival phrase, often used in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. While alternatives such as "hard to comprehend" or "tough to swallow" exist, "difficult to take in" uniquely captures both intellectual and emotional aspects of comprehension. Remember to use it to acknowledge potential struggles in understanding, promoting clearer and more empathetic communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to process

Highlights the mental effort required to assimilate new information.

hard to comprehend

Emphasizes the mental effort required for understanding, making it about intellectual grasp.

challenging to grasp

Focuses on the effort needed to understand, similar to 'hard to comprehend' but slightly less intense.

taxing to assimilate

Highlights the effort required to integrate new information into one's understanding.

tough to swallow

Highlights the emotional difficulty in accepting something, suggesting unpleasantness.

not easy to understand

A straightforward way of saying something is difficult to understand, lacking nuance.

difficult to accept

Focuses on the struggle to accept a situation or idea, rather than understanding it.

not readily apparent

Indicates that something is not immediately obvious or easily perceived.

beyond comprehension

Indicates that something is impossible to understand, stronger than "difficult to take in".

hard to believe

Emphasizes disbelief rather than difficulty in understanding.

FAQs

What does "difficult to take in" mean?

The phrase "difficult to take in" means something is hard to understand, accept, or fully comprehend. It implies a challenge in processing information or a situation.

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

You can use "difficult to take in" to describe news, concepts, or situations that are challenging to understand or accept. For example: "The news of the accident was "difficult to take in"."

What are some alternatives to "difficult to take in"?

Alternatives include "hard to comprehend", "tough to swallow", or "challenging to grasp", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "difficult to understand" or "difficult to take in"?

While both are correct, "difficult to take in" often implies an emotional component or a sense of being overwhelmed by information, whereas "difficult to understand" focuses more on a purely cognitive challenge.