difficult to understand why

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to understand why" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing confusion or a lack of clarity regarding a particular situation or reasoning. Example: "It is difficult to understand why the project was delayed without any prior notice."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And it's not difficult to understand why.

Independent

difficult to understand why he's witness.

Cornell University

It's not difficult to understand why.

The Guardian - Opinion

People were dying, and it was difficult to understand why.

The New Yorker

With that attitude, it's not difficult to understand why.

The New York Times

Pellegrini said: "It is difficult to understand why we played so low a performance.

Independent

It is not difficult to understand why the Southern states seceded in 1860 and 1861.

The New York Times - Books

It was difficult to understand why such a captivating place was empty.

The New York Times - Travel

With "experts" like you it is not difficult to understand why.

The Economist

It's difficult to understand why the president has been so unwilling to grant any clemency.

The New York Times

Indeed, it is difficult to understand why the Court itself has not made that more clear.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "difficult to understand why" with a clear statement of what you find confusing. Be specific rather than vague to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to understand why" repeatedly in a single piece of writing. Vary your language by using alternative expressions like "puzzling why" or "unclear why" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to understand why" functions as an adverbial phrase expressing a lack of comprehension or confusion. It typically introduces an explanation or a statement about something that is not easily grasped. According to Ludwig, the phrase is usable and correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

27%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficult to understand why" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to convey a lack of comprehension or confusion. Ludwig's analysis confirms its validity and offers numerous examples from reputable sources. It is frequently found in news and media, scientific writing, and academic contexts, suggesting its suitability for various formal and informal settings. While versatile, it's essential to use it thoughtfully, ensuring that the context clarifies what exactly is "difficult to understand" and avoid overuse. The examples extracted by Ludwig show that it's a well-established and accepted expression across various domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to fathom why

Replaces "difficult" with "hard" and "understand" with "fathom", emphasizing the challenge in comprehending.

challenging to comprehend why

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "understand" with "comprehend", highlighting the complexity of understanding.

puzzling why

Simplifies the phrase by using "puzzling" to convey the difficulty in understanding the reason.

it's a mystery why

Uses a more figurative expression, suggesting that the reason is unknown or obscure.

unclear why

Replaces "difficult to understand" with a direct statement of lack of clarity.

not easy to see why

Emphasizes the lack of ease in perceiving the reason.

obscure reason for

Focuses on the obscurity of the reason itself, rather than the difficulty in understanding.

the reasons are elusive

Highlights the elusiveness of the reasons behind something.

beyond comprehension why

Suggests that the reason is completely impossible to understand.

cannot grasp the reason why

Emphasizes the inability to fully understand the justification.

FAQs

How can I use "difficult to understand why" in a sentence?

You can use "difficult to understand why" to express confusion or lack of clarity about a situation. For example, "It is difficult to understand why the project was delayed without any prior notice".

What are some alternatives to "difficult to understand why"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to fathom why", "challenging to comprehend why", or "unclear why" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "difficult to understand the reason why"?

While grammatically correct, "difficult to understand the reason why" can be slightly redundant. It's often more concise to simply say "difficult to understand why".

What's the difference between "difficult to understand why" and "hard to understand why"?

"Difficult to understand why" and "hard to understand why" are largely interchangeable. "Difficult" might be perceived as slightly more formal than "hard", but the difference is minimal.