difficulty towards

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulty towards" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used when discussing challenges or obstacles someone faces in relation to something or someone. Example: "She expressed her difficulty towards understanding the complex theory presented in the lecture."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

This further indicates an evolutionary difficulty towards the establishment of polymorphism.

BMC Systems Biology

The properties of the diversity graphs reflect the inherent high metabolic redundancy of the cell to single-gene knockouts, reveal mutants of unique metabolic capabilities regarding by-production and show an evolutionary difficulty towards the establishment of polymorphism.

BMC Systems Biology

In a separate analysis, Tjokrowidjaja et al. reported a 25% risk reduction in mortality with 939 patients, which is consistent with the findings of Leow et al. [ 16, 20] The limited number of patients in all meta-analyses leads to difficulty towards recommending adjuvant therapy to all MIBC patients post-cystectomy.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Studies on PE report difficulties towards the implementation of ergonomic measures [ 25] and the actual use of ergonomic measures [ 45].

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

These results suggest that listeners experience some difficulty orienting towards sources as the target SNR drops below −6 dB, and that if one intends to make a directional microphone that is usable in a moving conversation, then off-axis attenuation should be no more than 12 dB.

Hearing Research

"Players are having a lot of difficulties, especially towards the end of the year, to be fit and ready to perform 100% in each event.

The Guardian - Sport

Course World is a giant repository of user-generated levels, and you can opt to take the 100 Mario Challenge, which picks sets of eight courses and gives you 100 lives with which to reach the end – not as generous as it may sound, since difficulty levels tend towards the fearsome.

The Guardian - Tech

Boxleiter had difficulty accepting praise towards the end of development, considering the weight of having to leave the industry if the many 100-hour weeks did not pan out in an accepted product.

Wikipedia

We think that the relatively low mean scores of our subjects comes from the fact that we have chosen our images with a bias towards difficulty and the use of distractor stimuli that nearly always contained a salient object.

Plosone

On the other hand, the effects of sleep deprivation contribute, in an escalating vicious cycle, towards difficulty in affect regulation on the following day.

Clinical interventions in aging

The explanation might be because of poor hygiene practices, lack of time to keep their proper health, poor living standard, ignorance and difficulty in accessibility towards immediate health care facilities.

BMC Women's Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficulty towards", consider if "difficulty in" or "struggle with" might provide greater clarity and flow. Ensure the context warrants the specific nuance implied by "towards".

Common error

Avoid using "difficulty towards" when "difficulty in" or "difficulty with" is more grammatically sound and commonly accepted. "Towards" typically indicates direction, making it less suitable for expressing challenges.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulty towards" functions as a noun phrase followed by a preposition, indicating a challenge or problem directed at something. Although understandable, Ludwig AI shows that its usage is less common, and therefore, the grammatical correctness can be disputed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "difficulty towards" is understandable, it is not as grammatically conventional as alternatives like "difficulty in" or "difficulty with". As Ludwig AI indicates, this relative infrequency might lead to awkwardness in formal writing. It is best suited for contexts where emphasizing directionality or orientation of the challenge is critical. When clarity and common usage are prioritized, consider the suggested alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficulty in

Uses a more grammatically conventional preposition.

struggle with

Highlights the act of contending with difficulty.

problems with

Uses a broader term to describe the struggle.

challenge in

Emphasizes the existence of obstacles, differing from merely an inclination.

impediment to

Implies prevention or obstruction, which is a stronger sense than simple difficulty.

inclination toward

Focuses on a natural tendency rather than a struggle.

hardship in relation to

Broadens scope to include unfavorable conditions, not limited to direct difficulty.

obstacles concerning

Focuses on tangible barriers rather than intrinsic challenges.

predisposition to

Highlights a susceptibility or vulnerability, not necessarily active difficulty.

resistance regarding

Specifies an active opposition, not just passive difficulty.

FAQs

Is "difficulty towards" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "difficulty towards" is less common than "difficulty in" or "difficulty with". The latter options are often preferred for clarity and grammatical convention.

What does "difficulty towards" mean?

The phrase suggests a challenge or struggle oriented in a specific direction or concerning a particular goal. However, its usage is infrequent, so consider using clearer alternatives.

How can I replace "difficulty towards" in a sentence?

You can substitute with "difficulty in", "struggle with", or rephrase entirely to use terms like "challenge" or "obstacle" depending on the context.

Which is better, "difficulty towards" or "difficulty with"?

"difficulty with" is generally preferred. It's grammatically standard and widely accepted, whereas "difficulty towards" is less common and can sound awkward.