entirely hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "entirely hard" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is completely difficult or challenging without any exceptions. Example: "The exam was entirely hard, leaving many students feeling overwhelmed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The feeling of the music wasn't entirely hard-sell; there were some beneficial lumps in it.

The New York Times

When she begins criticizing Islam, he more or less agrees, though he isn't entirely hard-line about it: "On an intellectual level, I was suddenly capable of acknowledging the attractions of the Muslim vagina".

The New Yorker

As anyone with gluten intolerance or celiac can attest to, cutting out gluten entirely is hard, like really hard.

Huffington Post

The consensus is: "Disturbing, controversial, but entirely engrossing, Hard Candy is well written with strong lead performances, especially that of newcomer Ellen Page.

Wikipedia

Turnquest's amazing achievements are based entirely on hard graft and academic prowess.

The Guardian

Many fans really believed in the magic of McGwire, believed he accomplished his feat entirely through hard work and determination.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's entirely too hard to make old people walk that far," the friend recalled him saying in a huff.

The New York Times

Mechanical materialism is the theory that the world consists entirely of hard, massy material objects, which, though perhaps imperceptibly small, are otherwise like such things as stones.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Stokdyk, who loved that Debevec's avatars were based entirely on "hard data," had to fill in the skin beneath the missing sideburns, which "defeated the purity of the process".

The New Yorker

There is a pervasive "everything's been done" aspect to its album, "Contraband" (RCA), but as this is a band composed entirely of hard rock veterans, perhaps, for them, it has.

The New York Times - Arts

She grew up in poverty in the outskirts of Bangkok and owes her success entirely to hard work and perseverance.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "entirely hard" to emphasize the complete and absolute difficulty or challenging nature of something. This phrase is best suited for situations where there are no exceptions or mitigating factors to the difficulty.

Common error

Avoid using "entirely hard" in very casual or informal settings. Simpler alternatives like "really difficult" or "very tough" might be more appropriate for everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "entirely hard" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to emphasize the comprehensive nature of the difficulty. It suggests that something is difficult without any exceptions or mitigating factors. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "entirely hard" is a grammatically sound but infrequent way to express a comprehensive level of difficulty. It's best used when you want to emphasize that something is challenging without any exceptions. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While alternatives like "completely difficult" or "utterly challenging" might be more common, "entirely hard" can be effective in conveying a sense of completeness. Be mindful of the context and avoid using it in very casual situations where simpler phrasing would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely difficult

Emphasizes the complete and absolute difficulty of something.

utterly challenging

Highlights the extreme challenge presented, with a stronger emphasis on the test of one's abilities.

perfectly arduous

Stresses the demanding nature, using 'arduous' to indicate a laborious and straining effort.

fully strenuous

Implies the activity requires significant exertion and energy.

absolutely rigid

Shifts the focus to inflexibility and unyielding nature.

thoroughly tough

Emphasizes the robustness and resistance encountered, using 'tough' as a synonym for difficult.

purely problematic

Highlights the nature of being purely a source of problems or difficulties.

exclusively demanding

Stresses the characteristic of making high demands on one's time or effort.

strictly complicated

Indicates a level of complexity that is tightly and undeniably intricate.

unquestionably severe

Highlights the indisputable severity of a situation or condition.

FAQs

How can I use "entirely hard" in a sentence?

You can use "entirely hard" to describe a task, situation, or concept that presents complete and unyielding difficulty. For example: "The exam was "entirely hard", challenging every student in the class".

What can I say instead of "entirely hard"?

You can use alternatives like "completely difficult", "utterly challenging", or "perfectly arduous" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "entirely hard", or should I use a different phrase?

"Entirely hard" is a correct and usable phrase in English, though it's not the most common. Whether you use it depends on the specific context and the degree of emphasis you want to convey. More common alternatives might include "very difficult" or "extremely challenging".

What's the difference between "entirely hard" and "very hard"?

"Entirely hard" suggests a complete and absolute level of difficulty, leaving no room for exceptions or ease. "Very hard", on the other hand, indicates a high degree of difficulty but doesn't necessarily imply the same level of completeness.