enough hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "enough hard" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely intended to convey a sense of sufficient difficulty, but the correct form would be "hard enough." Example: "This puzzle is hard enough to challenge even the most experienced players."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Not nearly enough hard thinking preceded this concert.

The New York Times - Arts

Sounds familiar today: too much religion, not enough hard truth.

The New York Times - Books

But, she wrote, "I do not have enough hard facts about the actual crimes for a book-length account".

The New Yorker

It seemed like I couldn't hit the ball enough hard, you know, to put my opponent out of position.

The New York Times - Sports

Attorney General John Ashcroft said that not enough hard evidence had yet been assembled to prevail in court.

The New York Times

Does he feel that he's now seeing young comedians achieve overnight fame without, in his terms, doing enough hard work?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

His forays into the civilized world are meant to garner enough hard currency and official acceptance to remain in power.

The New York Times

But, he said, there is not enough hard evidence to prove that any food can enhance the immune system.

The New York Times

We have been taught that America is the greatest country in the world — a place where anything is possible with enough hard work and desire.

The New York Times

After years of investigation, prosecutors in the French case had argued that the case be dropped, saying investigators had failed to uncover enough hard evidence for a conviction.

The New York Times

Even a large investment bank is not going to buy enough hard drives or other components to get a price as low as Dell is.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "hard enough" instead of "enough hard" to ensure grammatical correctness in formal writing. For example, instead of saying "It's not enough hard", say "It's not hard enough".

Common error

Avoid placing "enough" before the adjective. The correct order is adjective + "enough". So, write "hard enough", not "enough hard".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "enough hard" attempts to modify a noun or verb by indicating a sufficient degree of hardness or difficulty. However, this construction is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct phrasing is "hard enough".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "enough hard" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct phrasing is "hard enough". This guide has shown that the phrase attempts to express that something meets a certain threshold of difficulty or intensity. To maintain grammatical correctness and clarity, it's recommended to use "hard enough" or alternative phrases like "sufficiently hard" or "adequately difficult", especially in formal writing. Despite its common usage, sticking to grammatically correct alternatives enhances the precision and credibility of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard enough

Reverses the order of the words to adhere to correct grammatical structure for expressing sufficient intensity or degree.

sufficiently hard

Replaces "enough" with "sufficiently" to maintain a similar meaning with a more formal tone.

adequately difficult

Substitutes "hard" with "difficult" and uses "adequately" to indicate the required level.

sufficient hard work

Adds "work" to specify effort or labor, modifying the meaning slightly to emphasize the need for adequate effort.

ample hard evidence

Adds "evidence" to mean sufficient proof or support, shifting the context to verification.

plenty of hard data

Adds "data" to relate to statistical or factual information, modifying the meaning to indicate adequate factual support.

a lot of hard thinking

Adds "thinking" to specify the act of thoughtful consideration, shifting the focus towards cognitive effort.

sufficiently challenging

Combines "sufficiently" with "challenging" to express the degree of difficulty required.

adequately strenuous

Replaces "hard" with "strenuous" to indicate the level of physical effort.

considerable hard effort

Adds "effort" and "considerable" to refer to significant exertion.

FAQs

What's the correct word order, "enough hard" or "hard enough"?

The correct word order is "hard enough". The adjective typically precedes "enough" in this type of construction.

Is "enough hard" ever grammatically correct?

No, "enough hard" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is "hard enough".

What does "hard enough" mean?

"Hard enough" means sufficient in intensity, force, or effort to achieve a desired result or meet a particular standard.

Can I use a different word instead of "hard" in "hard enough"?

Yes, depending on the context, you can use words like "difficult enough", "challenging enough", or "strenuous enough".