greater difficulty and

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "greater difficulty and" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing challenges or obstacles that are more significant than others, often in a comparative context. Example: "The project faced greater difficulty and delays than initially anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Alonso added on the Ferrari website: "This year has definitely been the toughest in the five I've been with Ferrari, in coming to Monza in greater difficulty and without having a really clear idea of what the race can hold for us.

BBC

Alonso added on the Ferrari website:  "This year has definitely been the toughest in the five I've been with Ferrari, in coming to Monza in greater difficulty and without having a really clear idea of what the race can hold for us.

BBC

We suggest that rigorous evaluation of cerebellar involvement in non-motor function will require tasks of greater difficulty and complexity than past practice.

eLife

The decreased slope associated with closing wedge osteotomies is likely related to the greater difficulty and risk of removing posterior bone which then results in a posterior gap that is smaller than the anterior gap [ 32].

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

There is growing interest in using the MoCA as an office-based multi-domain cognitive test in lieu of the MMSE due to its apparent advantages for assessing cognitively impaired patients in earlier stages, in part attributed to its greater difficulty and inclusion of executive function items.

BMC Geriatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Having wasted the past 15 years, they now lag behind their counterparts, face greater difficulties and are less able to pay for them.

The Economist

However, the alternative, i.e. compulsory data-sharing without any restriction on who can obtain a copy, has even greater difficulties, and much greater ethical and scientific concerns.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

They can be replaced only with great difficulty and expense.

The New York Times

Yes, but only with great difficulty and with little benefit.

Independent

They will now have to prise themselves apart, with great difficulty and at great cost.

The Economist

Darwin and Pine Gap are the greatest difficulty and those associations should be ended.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "greater difficulty and", ensure that you are comparing the level of difficulty to something else, either explicitly stated or implied in the context.

Common error

Avoid using "greater difficulty and" when the difficulty is not being compared to anything. The phrase implies a comparative relationship; otherwise, simply use "difficulty" or "challenges".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "greater difficulty and" functions as a comparative intensifier within a clause, typically modifying a noun or verb phrase. As noted by Ludwig, it describes an increased level of challenge or hardship. The examples provided by Ludwig showcase how it is used to emphasize the extent of difficulties faced.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "greater difficulty and" is grammatically sound and serves to emphasize an increased level of challenge or hardship. Ludwig AI indicates that it's a correct and usable phrase. While relatively rare, its primary contexts are in science and news, with a tendency toward neutral to formal register. When using it, ensure a comparison is either explicit or implied. Related phrases include "increased hardship and" and "heightened challenge and", offering alternative ways to express similar concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more pronounced difficulty and

Adds emphasis to the extent of the difficulty.

increased hardship and

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'hardship', emphasizing the challenging aspect.

enhanced difficulty and

Highlights the intensity of the difficulty

heightened challenge and

Substitutes 'difficulty' with 'challenge', focusing on the competitive aspect.

more significant struggle and

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'struggle', highlighting the effort required.

greater complexity and

Shifts the focus from difficulty to the intricate nature of the situation.

increased complexity and

Similar to the above, but uses "increased" instead of "greater".

enhanced challenge and

Focuses on the challenge being intensified.

additional adversity and

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'adversity', emphasizing the unfavorable conditions.

increased adversity and

Focuses on an increase of unfavorable conditions.

FAQs

How can I use "greater difficulty and" in a sentence?

You can use "greater difficulty and" to describe a situation where challenges are increased compared to a previous state or another scenario. For example: "The second phase of the project presented "greater difficulty and" required more resources".

What are some alternatives to "greater difficulty and"?

Some alternatives include "increased hardship and", "heightened challenge and", or "more significant struggle and", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "more difficulty and" instead of "greater difficulty and"?

While "more difficulty" isn't incorrect, "greater difficulty" is generally preferred in formal writing as it is considered more grammatically sound. "More difficulty" is more commonly used in spoken language.

What is the difference between "difficulty" and "greater difficulty"?

"Difficulty" refers to a general challenge or obstacle. "Greater difficulty" indicates that the challenge or obstacle is more significant or intense than another, implying a comparison. It's used to highlight a heightened degree of challenge.