growing increasingly difficult

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "growing increasingly difficult" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or task that is becoming more challenging over time. Example: "As the project progressed, it became growing increasingly difficult to meet the deadlines set by management."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

With tricks growing increasingly difficult and dangerous, competitors say injuries could become a serious issue.

The New York Times - Sports

Maintaining the link between health coverage and jobs is growing increasingly difficult, expensive, and self-defeating.

The New Yorker

"As an American, it is growing increasingly difficult to believe that there is justice for all".

The Guardian

Rounding up the money for projects like Gunfleet, which cost about £550 million, is growing increasingly difficult as banks reach their lending limits and utilities feel financial strain.

The New York Times

Russia has shielded Assad's government from UN action and kept shipping weapons to the military, but it is growing increasingly difficult to protect the regime as the violence grinds on.

The Guardian

Despite attempts to bolster public trust, working with animals in the Netherlands is growing increasingly difficult, hampering today's scientists and possibly scaring off the next generation altogether.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The vocabulary grew increasingly difficult; nerves took over.

The New York Times

Asserting the facts and asserting your privilege grow increasingly difficult to distinguish.

The Guardian

In the 1980s, back with the movies, he took on more international collaborations as funding in Japan grew increasingly difficult.

The Guardian - Film

But Mark and Andrew felt their father had been under increasing tension as the markets grew increasingly difficult this fall.

The New York Times

For cigarette addicts, finding somewhere to indulge their habit has grown increasingly difficult over the decades since the harms caused by tobacco became clear.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "growing increasingly difficult" to describe a situation where the difficulty is not just present, but escalating over time. For example, "Maintaining customer satisfaction is growing increasingly difficult in this competitive market."

Common error

Don't use "growing increasingly difficult" for simple tasks that are inherently challenging but not escalating in difficulty. It's more appropriate for complex or evolving scenarios.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "growing increasingly difficult" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe a situation or task that is becoming more challenging over time. It describes the evolving state of something, with Ludwig examples confirming its usability in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "growing increasingly difficult" effectively conveys a situation that is becoming more challenging over time. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts, particularly in news, science, and formal business domains. While there are many alternative phrases, the original phrase carries a specific nuance of escalating difficulty. Remember to use it when describing evolving situations, and avoid overuse in simple contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

becoming steadily harder

This alternative suggests a gradual increase in difficulty.

getting progressively tougher

This phrase emphasizes the gradual worsening of the situation.

posing a greater challenge

This option focuses on the challenge aspect rather than direct difficulty.

presenting mounting obstacles

This alternative highlights the increasing number of obstacles.

evolving into a greater struggle

This suggests a process of turning into a bigger problem.

turning into a steeper climb

This uses a metaphor of climbing to represent increasing difficulty.

proving more problematic over time

This alternative emphasizes the problematic nature increasing with time.

becoming more arduous

This uses a more formal word for difficult, 'arduous'.

getting to be a bigger headache

This uses the idiom 'headache' to convey difficulty.

presenting ever greater hurdles

This highlights the increasing obstacles or hurdles faced.

FAQs

What does "growing increasingly difficult" mean?

It means that something is becoming more challenging or problematic over time. The difficulty is escalating, not just present.

What can I say instead of "growing increasingly difficult"?

You can use alternatives like "becoming steadily harder", "getting progressively tougher", or "posing a greater challenge" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "growing increasingly difficulty"?

No, the correct phrase is "growing increasingly difficult". "Difficult" is the adjective form, while "difficulty" is a noun.

What's the difference between "growing increasingly difficult" and "becoming difficult"?

"Growing increasingly difficult" implies that the difficulty is escalating over time, whereas "becoming difficult" simply suggests that something is now challenging, without necessarily indicating a previous state of ease.