hard to approve

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to approve" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is difficult to get approval for, such as a proposal, request, or project. Example: "The new budget proposal was hard to approve due to the lack of supporting data."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

A plan unveiled last week by the finance minister, Grzegorz Kolodko, to streamline the public sector in preparation for EU entry will be tortuously hard to approve.

The Economist

Governor Reynolds, a Republican, said the Trump administration had tried hard to approve it, but had found it impossible to do so without violating the terms of the law.

The New York Times - Health

History suggests that such a ban could be hard to approve, let alone enforce: Despite many major powers signing the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning the use of chemical and biological weapons, other countries such as Japan and the United States did not become signatories until as late as the 1970s, according to the Arms Control Association.

The Washington Post

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable, two lobbying groups pushing hard to approve the Panama deal, declined to comment for this article.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"It's a lot harder to approve 140 characters than one might think it would be," Ms. Boyman said.

The New York Times

While tax increases should not be taken lightly, they should not be any harder to approve than the spending they pay for.

The New York Times

"Having accepted these findings, the board would be hard pressed to approve this project".

The New York Times

And he hasn't pressed the Defense Department hard enough to approve the release and resettlement of detainees who aren't deemed a threat.

Los Angeles Times

Ben Wolf, a spokesman for that department, told the News Service of Florida it wasn't a hard decision to approve Stevens' request.

Huffington Post

A redesign of the state's foster-care system is in the works, but lawmakers will be hard-pressed to approve anything that requires more money.

The New York Times

Negotiators had said that without at least the broad outlines of a trade accord in place this summer, it would be hard for Congress to approve it before then.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hard to approve", ensure the context clearly identifies what is facing difficulty in the approval process. Provide specific reasons for the difficulty to enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "hard to approve" without specifying what requires approval. For instance, instead of saying "It was hard to approve", specify "The budget proposal was hard to approve due to insufficient justification."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to approve" functions as an adjectival phrase describing the difficulty associated with obtaining approval for something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hard to approve" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to denote difficulty in obtaining approval. Ludwig AI confirms this, showing that it's frequently used in news, science, and formal business contexts. While alternatives like "difficult to get approved" or "challenging to approve" exist, it's important to provide context to clarify what exactly is "hard to approve" and why. Avoiding vagueness makes your writing more effective and precise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to get approved

Replaces "hard" with "difficult" and uses a passive construction, slightly altering the focus.

challenging to approve

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging", suggesting a test of skill or ability.

tough to approve

Uses "tough" as a synonym for "hard", implying resilience is needed to overcome obstacles.

not easy to approve

Employs a negative construction, emphasizing the lack of ease in the approval process.

laborious to approve

Highlights the effort and time required for approval.

onerous to approve

Suggests that the approval process is burdensome or troublesome.

demanding approval

Shifts the focus to the approval itself being demanding, rather than the act of approving.

approval is arduous

Changes the structure to emphasize the difficulty inherent in the approval itself.

faces approval hurdles

Uses a metaphorical approach, suggesting that there are obstacles in the way of approval.

encounters approval resistance

Indicates that there is opposition or reluctance to grant approval.

FAQs

What does it mean when something is described as "hard to approve"?

It means there are significant obstacles or reasons making it difficult to grant approval. These could range from insufficient evidence or justification to conflicting priorities or regulations.

What are some alternatives to saying "hard to approve"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to get approved", "challenging to approve", or "tough to approve" depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "hard to approve"?

Yes, "hard to approve" is grammatically correct. It follows the standard English structure of an adjective modifying an infinitive phrase.

In what situations might something be "hard to approve"?

Situations where something might be "hard to approve" include proposals lacking adequate data, projects with unclear benefits, or requests that conflict with existing policies or laws.