essentially challenging

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "essentially challenging" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is fundamentally or inherently difficult or demanding. Example: "The project was essentially challenging, requiring a great deal of time and effort from the entire team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In two Michel Legrand songs, "The Summer Knows" and "What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?," Ms. von Otter was a model of vocal grace and subtlety, essentially challenging the audience to lean in and listen.

The New York Times - Arts

Mr. Buck and Ms. Norton have engaged in an intense back and forth as well, with Ms. Norton essentially challenging Mr. Buck's manhood for allowing an independent group to run television commercials attacking her on his behalf.

The New York Times

The Mets' owner, Fred Wilpon, had mocked Reyes's injury history in The New Yorker in May, essentially challenging Reyes and Greenberg to match the seven-year, $142 million contract Boston gave Carl Crawford last winter.

The New York Times - Sports

Capital punishment lawyers from around the country have said the Suffolk County case is providing New York with its first example of a type of death penalty defendant that has troubled judges around the country: so-called volunteers, who tie the system in knots by essentially challenging the courts to put them to death.

The New York Times

Some highlight the essentially challenging economics of streaming products: the bigger you grow the worse your margins because of licensing payouts to large labels.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Torre essentially challenged Wells by letting him know his spot in the rotation was in jeopardy if he did not prove he was ready.

The New York Times - Sports

Slow means that Alabama Chanin is run on the tenets of the Slow Food movement, which essentially challenges one to use local ingredients harvested and put together in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

The New York Times

By bringing up the two nominees on the floor for a vote, Mr. Lott essentially challenged Mr. Inhofe to block the consideration with prolonged debate, a filibuster, or fold.

The New York Times

Returning quickly with a stand-alone bill seeking repeal, its supporters framed the new measure as a narrow civil rights matter and essentially challenged opponents to impede a vote.

The New York Times

Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, also inferred that the 32-year-old Knoblauch was afraid to return because of his throwing problems and essentially challenged him to get back onto the field.

The New York Times - Sports

When Judge Loretta A. Preska, a federal district court judge, issued an injunction on Friday allowing the churches to stay for now, she essentially challenged a higher court decision.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "essentially challenging", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being challenged. Specify the element or assumption being questioned to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "essentially challenging" for tasks that are merely inconvenient or slightly difficult. Reserve it for situations where the fundamental nature or core aspects present a real difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essentially challenging" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun (implied or stated), indicating that the subject matter is fundamentally or inherently difficult. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "essentially challenging" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, though relatively rare. It is used to describe something fundamentally difficult or demanding. According to Ludwig AI, it conveys that the core aspects of a situation or task pose a significant obstacle. Its usage spans across news, science, and formal business contexts, maintaining a neutral to professional tone. Related phrases include "fundamentally difficult" and "inherently demanding". When using "essentially challenging", ensure the context clearly identifies the element being challenged, and avoid overusing it for minor difficulties. While the frequency is low, its correct application can effectively highlight significant hurdles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fundamentally difficult

Replaces "essentially" with "fundamentally" to emphasize the core nature of the difficulty.

inherently demanding

Substitutes "challenging" with "demanding" to highlight the high requirements involved.

basically difficult

Uses "basically" instead of "essentially" for a more straightforward expression of difficulty.

intrinsically problematic

Changes "challenging" to "problematic" to focus on the inherent issues.

primarily complex

Emphasizes the complexity of the situation rather than the challenge.

largely testing

Replaces "challenging" with "testing" to underscore the act of putting skills or abilities to the test.

substantially taxing

Uses "taxing" to convey the heavy burden or strain involved.

at its core difficult

Rephrases the sentence to emphasize the difficulty at the heart of the matter.

in essence, arduous

Replaces "challenging" with "arduous" to suggest a very laborious difficulty.

at bottom, tough

Uses informal term "tough" to convey difficulty, indicating it is a hard nut to crack.

FAQs

How can I use "essentially challenging" in a sentence?

You can use "essentially challenging" to describe a situation or task that is fundamentally difficult. For example, "The research project was essentially challenging due to the limited resources."

What are some alternatives to "essentially challenging"?

Alternatives include "fundamentally difficult", "inherently demanding", or "intrinsically problematic", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "essentially challenging" formal or informal?

"Essentially challenging" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is generally more appropriate for neutral or professional settings. In very informal settings, simpler terms like "really hard" might be preferred.

What makes something "essentially challenging"?

Something is "essentially challenging" when the core or fundamental aspects of it create significant difficulty. This could be due to complexity, lack of resources, or inherent problems within the task or situation.