hard find

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard find" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey difficulty in locating something, but it is not a commonly accepted expression. Example: "It can be a hard find to locate a good restaurant in this area."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

If you find yourself training hard, find a physio and massage therapist for regular treatments.

The Guardian - Sport

"They need to buckle down, work hard, find consensus on things and certainly find ways of reducing our deficit," said Ms. Fallin, who rejected the Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma and declined to set up a state health insurance marketplace.

The New York Times

Yes, I saved, but I also chose not to postpone for some nebulous future the things I wanted to do and could, if I tried hard, find a way to do now.

The New York Times

Kiari Leawel, a 24-year-old unmarried woman, added: "Even if you have nothing, you could come here to Bilma, work hard, find yourself a wife, have children and have a good life here".

The New York Times

The alpha male is pacified and groomed to study hard, find a good job and plan prudently for retirement: "While we in America are drugging our alpha boys with Ritalin," Harris writes, "the Muslims are doing everything in their power to encourage their alpha boys to be tough, aggressive and ruthless".

The New York Times - Books

Redemption is hard find.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Opposition is hard to find.

The Economist

It's hard to find".

The New York Times - Arts

Those are hard to find.

The New York Times

Jobs are hard to find.

The New York Times - Sports

Astronauts are hard to find.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the difficulty of locating something, use grammatically correct alternatives like "difficult to find", "hard to locate", or "challenging to discover" instead of "hard find".

Common error

Avoid placing the adjective "hard" directly before the verb "find" without an infinitive marker ("to"). The correct structure is "hard to find", ensuring proper grammatical flow and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard find" attempts to function as a descriptive phrase indicating difficulty in locating something. However, it's grammatically unconventional and not recognized as standard English. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect, suggesting the use of "hard to find" instead.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "hard find" is used to express the difficulty of locating something, it's grammatically incorrect and not recommended for formal use. Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect and suggests using "hard to find" or other alternatives such as "difficult to locate". Although it appears in some news and media sources, adhering to correct grammar is crucial for clear and professional communication. The phrase is more suited to informal contexts, but even then, clearer alternatives are preferable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to find

Directly replaces "hard" with its synonym "difficult", correcting the grammar while keeping the original meaning intact.

difficult to locate

Replaces "hard" with "difficult" and uses "locate" instead of "find", emphasizing the act of pinpointing something's position.

hard to come across

Uses a phrasal verb "come across", which is interchangeable in meaning with "find", but maintains the "hard" adjective.

challenging to discover

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging" and "find" with "discover", highlighting the effort required to uncover something.

not easy to come by

Emphasizes the scarcity or rarity of something, making it "not easy" to obtain or "come by".

rare to encounter

Focuses on the infrequency of meeting or experiencing something, describing it as "rare" to "encounter".

uncommon to unearth

Highlights the unusual nature of uncovering or revealing something, using "uncommon" and "unearth".

scarce to detect

Indicates the limited availability of something to be noticed or perceived, making it "scarce" to "detect".

tough to stumble upon

Suggests the improbability of accidentally finding something, describing it as "tough" to "stumble upon".

elusive to track down

Implies that something is difficult to pursue and capture, making it "elusive" to "track down".

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something is difficult to locate?

Use phrases like "difficult to find", "hard to locate", or "challenging to discover" instead of the grammatically incorrect "hard find".

Is "hard find" grammatically correct?

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

What does "hard find" mean?

"Hard find" is generally understood to mean "difficult to find" or "hard to locate", but it's not proper English.

Can I use "hard find" in writing?

It's best to avoid using "hard find" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "difficult to find" or "hard to locate" to ensure clarity and professionalism.