difficulties to come

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulties to come" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to challenges or obstacles that are expected to arise in the future. Example: "While we have made significant progress, we must remain vigilant about the difficulties to come as we move forward with the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

The fourth page hints at difficulties to come.

The New York Times - Books

The Somalia incident proved to be a harbinger of difficulties to come.

The Washington Post

Yet for all of the compromises, there were hints of difficulties to come.

The New York Times

But even then, there was a hint of the difficulties to come.

The New York Times - Sports

Is this a harbinger of the voting difficulties to come in this election?

The Guardian - Opinion

Another harbinger of the difficulties to come was the murder of the deputy chairman of the Helmand peace council at the weekend.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

He expressed the difficulty to come to terms with the gastrostomy, another loss, which was not even directly brought about by the illness.

BMC Palliative Care

The difficulty is to come up with an abstraction that is neither too coarse to remove all winning strategies (plans), nor too fine to be intractable.

University of California, Berkeley

"Even churches are having difficulty getting people to come in at 11 o'clock Sunday morning".

Vice

Non-members can still start a pre-k, but they might have more difficulty getting babies to come.

WikiHow

Ms. Akhtar says she faced difficulties convincing some women to come to her for obstetric care.

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context of your writing when choosing between "difficulties to come" and its alternatives. While "difficulties to come" is formal, phrases like "challenges ahead" may be more appropriate for informal communication.

Common error

Avoid using "difficulties to come" to describe problems that are already happening. The phrase specifically refers to future challenges, not present ones. Instead, use "current difficulties" or "existing problems" for present situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulties to come" functions as a noun phrase acting as an object of a verb or preposition, often signaling a warning or anticipation of future issues. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

22%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficulties to come" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase for foreshadowing future challenges. Ludwig confirms this by providing numerous examples from reputable sources. The phrase is most frequently used in news and academic contexts, indicating a neutral to professional tone. While alternatives such as "challenges ahead" or "problems on the horizon" exist, "difficulties to come" offers a slightly more formal and perhaps ominous tone. Remember to use it correctly to refer to future, not present, problems.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

challenges ahead

Replaces "difficulties" with the more neutral term "challenges" and uses "ahead" instead of "to come", focusing on the future aspect.

obstacles in the future

Substitutes "difficulties" with "obstacles" and rephrases "to come" as "in the future", providing a more explicit temporal reference.

problems on the horizon

Uses a metaphorical expression, suggesting that the difficulties are looming and becoming visible.

trials awaiting us

Emphasizes the aspect of endurance and testing, implying that the difficulties are significant and will require effort to overcome.

hardships in store

Indicates that difficult experiences are being reserved or are destined to happen in the future.

setbacks that lie ahead

Focuses on potential failures or delays that may occur, using the term "setbacks" to describe these difficulties.

impediments to expect

Replaces "difficulties" with "impediments", highlighting the hindering nature of these future obstacles and framing them as anticipated.

storm clouds gathering

Employs a more dramatic, metaphorical expression to suggest impending trouble or difficulties.

tough times looming

Uses simpler language to convey the sense of difficult times that are approaching.

rough road ahead

Uses a metaphor of a journey to suggest a difficult path or series of challenges that lie in the future.

FAQs

How can I use "difficulties to come" in a sentence?

You can use "difficulties to come" to refer to future challenges or obstacles. For example: "The economic forecast suggests that we should prepare for the "difficulties to come"."

What are some alternatives to "difficulties to come"?

Alternatives to "difficulties to come" include "challenges ahead", "problems on the horizon", or "hardships in store". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired tone.

Is "difficulties to come" formal or informal?

"Difficulties to come" is generally considered a formal phrase. For more informal contexts, consider using alternatives like "trouble ahead" or "challenges coming up".

What is the difference between "difficulties to come" and "current difficulties"?

"Difficulties to come" refers to future problems, while "current difficulties" refers to existing problems. It's important to use the correct phrase to accurately reflect the timing of the challenges you are describing.