encounter a difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'encounter a difficulty' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone facing a challenge or problem. Example sentence: John encountered a difficulty when he tried to finish his project in the allotted time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If I encounter a difficulty, or if I look at the material reality that surrounds us in America, it's easy and weirdly soothing to embrace sadness, to go passive-nihilistic-depressive".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Their model encountered a difficulty in predicting deposition areas in the harbor.

Earth, Planets and Space

So, the optimum crown shape design is essential for improving the tire wear performance, however it encounters a difficulty of long CPU time when the sensitivity analysis invokes the direct FEM analysis.

Computers & Structures

At this stage, if you're filleting sea bass or gurnard, you'll encounter a small difficulty: the rib cage (at the head end of the fillet) bulges out a bit.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Transplantation of these cells may encounter a major difficulty: how do cells efficiently engraft the host?

Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics

It is also common for community-based HIV service providers to encounter a range of difficulties as basic as gaining access to institutions to deliver services.

Health & Justice

If we take Ψ as the "real" entity which fully represents the actual state of affairs of the world, we encounter a number of difficulties.

SEP

"However, we have encountered a financial difficulty due to the fact that our bankers HSBC have held £1m of our money which would otherwise have been devoted to fulfilling our orders.

The Guardian - Money

Its application to multiphase flows or multi-material deformations, however, encounters a numerical difficulty of satisfying continuity requirement due to the inconsistence of the interpolation schemes used for different phases.

Journal of Computational Physics

Finally, we also encountered a general difficulty in accessing detailed registry data; both aggregated data for the general public, and patient-level data for external research.

BMC Nephrology

Though I've had early access to the app for some time, I've personally encountered a few difficulties with the hardware (thanks to being shipped a wrongly programmed device in error) and issues with my account.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "encounter a difficulty", ensure the context clearly indicates what specific problem or challenge is being faced. Be specific to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid phrasing that obscures who is encountering the difficulty. Instead of "a difficulty was encountered", specify who encountered the difficulty to maintain a clear and active voice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encounter a difficulty" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the experience of facing a problem or challenge. Ludwig provides examples of its usage across various contexts, highlighting its role in describing obstacles or setbacks.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

31%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Wiki

11%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "encounter a difficulty" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression to describe facing a problem or challenge. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, showcasing its prevalence across diverse sources, including news, science, and encyclopedias. While versatile, specific phrasing can enhance clarity. Related phrases, such as "face a problem" or "meet with a challenge", offer nuanced alternatives. It's important to avoid passive voice to keep your writing active and engaging. Overall, "encounter a difficulty" is a useful and reliable phrase in various writing contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

face a problem

This alternative directly replaces 'encounter a difficulty' with 'face a problem', simplifying the expression.

meet with a challenge

This alternative uses 'meet with' to convey the experience of facing something difficult.

run into a snag

This uses a more informal, idiomatic expression indicating a minor problem.

experience an obstacle

This is a more formal way of saying that someone is facing a barrier or impediment.

come up against a hurdle

This suggests overcoming a specific barrier in a process or activity.

find oneself in a predicament

This indicates a difficult, unpleasant, or dangerous situation.

be confronted with a setback

This emphasizes the negative impact of the difficulty on progress.

grapple with an issue

This suggests a sustained effort to deal with a complex problem.

be beset by problems

This indicates being persistently troubled or attacked by difficulties.

stumble upon an impediment

This suggests unexpectedly encountering something that hinders progress.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "encounter a difficulty" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "experience an obstacle", or "be confronted with a setback". These alternatives often suit academic or professional writing.

Is it better to say "encounter a difficulty" or "face a difficulty"?

Both "encounter a difficulty" and "face a difficulty" are correct. "Face a difficulty" is slightly more direct and common, while "encounter a difficulty" can imply a more unexpected or incidental experience.

What verbs are similar to "encounter" when talking about difficulties?

Similar verbs include "meet with", "run into", "come up against", and "stumble upon". The choice depends on the nuance you wish to convey regarding how the difficulty was experienced.

How to use "encounter a difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "encounter a difficulty" to describe facing a challenge or problem in various contexts. For example, "The team "encounter a difficulty" when trying to implement the new software system."