hard to calculate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to calculate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a situation or problem that is difficult to quantify or determine mathematically. Example: "The total cost of the project is hard to calculate due to the fluctuating prices of materials."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's hard to calculate.

The New York Times

"They're not hard to calculate.

Harvard Business Review

Likewise the fuel savings will be hard to calculate.

The New York Times

(Its actual weight in the water is hard to calculate).

The New York Times - Science

The immediate prospects for strife are hard to calculate.

The New York Times

The precise degree of discrimination against New York City is hard to calculate.

The New York Times

Boyd said the costs to the global economy of the phase out were hard to calculate.

The Guardian

This phenomenon is hard to calculate, but perhaps a detail might stand for the whole.

The New York Times - Style

"The payment of royalties is very hard to calculate," Stephan wrote.

The Guardian

It is hard to calculate how many students die this way each year.

The Guardian

(Admittedly, it's not too hard to calculate that Booty Call won't be collecting any awards).

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hard to calculate", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is difficult to calculate and why. Specificity enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "hard to calculate" as a vague statement. Provide context or specific reasons why the calculation is difficult, preventing misinterpretation and enhancing clarity. Instead of saying "The impact is hard to calculate", specify "The impact on the environment is hard to calculate due to the lack of long-term data."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to calculate" primarily functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating the difficulty of performing a calculation. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely usable. The numerous examples on Ludwig illustrate its use in varied contexts, from business to science.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hard to calculate" is a versatile phrase used to describe situations where precise quantification or determination is challenging. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely accepted, and appears most frequently in news and media contexts. When using the phrase, remember to provide specific reasons for the difficulty to avoid vagueness. While alternatives like ""difficult to quantify"" or ""challenging to determine"" exist, the key is to maintain clarity and context. By understanding its function, purpose, and register, you can effectively incorporate "hard to calculate" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to quantify

Replaces "calculate" with "quantify", focusing on the measurement aspect of the difficulty.

challenging to determine

Uses "challenging" instead of "hard", and "determine" instead of "calculate", softening the tone slightly.

tricky to ascertain

Employs more formal vocabulary, indicating a subtle shift in register and emphasizing the complexity.

not easy to compute

Directly replaces "hard" with "not easy" and "calculate" with "compute", maintaining a similar level of formality.

imprecise to estimate

Focuses on the lack of precision in the estimation, highlighting a specific aspect of the difficulty.

virtually impossible to predict

Shifts the focus to prediction, suggesting a higher degree of uncertainty and difficulty.

unpredictable to assess

Highlights the uncertainty and the difficulty in evaluating the situation.

beyond accurate measurement

Suggests that the quantity is practically impossible to measure with accuracy.

cannot be accurately determined

Emphasizes impossibility of accurately finding or establishing something.

defies precise calculation

Uses a more literary and emphatic tone to convey the difficulty in calculating.

FAQs

How can I use "hard to calculate" in a sentence?

You can use "hard to calculate" to describe something that is difficult to determine or quantify. For example: "The long-term effects of the policy change are "hard to calculate"."

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

Alternatives include phrases like "difficult to quantify", "challenging to determine", or "tricky to ascertain", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "hard to calculate" or "difficult to calculate"?

"Hard to calculate" and "difficult to calculate" are largely interchangeable. "Difficult to calculate" may sound slightly more formal, but both are grammatically correct and widely understood.

What makes something "hard to calculate"?

Something might be "hard to calculate" due to incomplete data, complex variables, or unpredictable factors. This could apply to things like economic forecasts, environmental impacts, or the success of a new product.