hard to establish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to establish" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is difficult to set up, create, or prove, often in contexts like relationships, rules, or theories. Example: "The new policy was hard to establish due to conflicting opinions among the team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some facts are hard to establish.

The Economist

That's very hard to establish now".

The New York Times - Arts

Mr. Huang works too hard to establish his street cred.

The New York Times - Books

Here, for once, British exceptionalism is hard to establish.

The Guardian - Books

"We worked so hard to establish this place.

The Guardian

"We worked very hard to establish the commuter rush".

The New York Times

I thought the guys worked hard to establish that luck".

The New York Times - Sports

Conclusive evidence of its effectiveness has proved hard to establish.

The Guardian

Most screen biographies work hard to establish realism.

The Guardian

It is hard to establish whether such strategies are pro-competitive or nefarious.

The Economist

He and his brothers-Nicholas, Joseph and Moses-had worked hard to establish the college.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To enhance clarity, consider using synonyms like "difficult to ascertain", "challenging to prove", or "tough to determine" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Common error

Avoid using "hard to establish" without specifying what exactly is hard to establish. Vague statements can confuse the reader. Instead, provide specific details about the challenge or the missing elements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to establish" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying an implied noun, describing the difficulty associated with setting up, creating, or proving something. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is commonly used and grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

37%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hard to establish" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe the difficulty in creating, proving, or setting something up. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use. It's versatile, fitting into news, scientific, and business contexts. For clarity, always specify what is challenging to establish and consider using synonyms like "difficult to ascertain" or "challenging to prove" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to ascertain

Replaces "establish" with "ascertain", focusing on the difficulty of finding something out for certain.

challenging to prove

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging" and "establish" with "prove", highlighting the difficulty in demonstrating the truth of something.

tough to determine

Uses "tough" instead of "hard" and "determine" for "establish", emphasizing the difficulty in reaching a decision or conclusion.

not easy to demonstrate

Expresses the same idea in a more explicit way, focusing on the lack of ease in showing something clearly.

laborious to build

Replaces "hard" with "laborious" and "establish" with "build", highlighting the amount of effort needed.

complicated to implement

Uses "complicated" instead of "hard" and "implement" for "establish", stressing the intricate nature of the task.

onerous to create

Substitutes "hard" with "onerous" and "establish" with "create", focusing on the burden involved.

difficult to put in place

Replaces "establish" with "put in place", providing a more concrete alternative.

not straightforward to set up

Uses a negative construction to emphasize the lack of simplicity in setting something up.

arduous to institute

Replaces "hard" with "arduous" and "establish" with "institute", indicating a difficult and formal process.

FAQs

What does "hard to establish" mean?

The phrase "hard to establish" means something is difficult to create, prove, or set up. It suggests a challenge in bringing something into existence or demonstrating its validity.

What can I say instead of "hard to establish"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to ascertain", "challenging to prove", or "tough to determine" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "difficult to establish" instead of "hard to establish"?

Yes, "difficult to establish" is a perfectly acceptable and often interchangeable alternative to "hard to establish". Both phrases convey the same meaning of something being challenging to bring about or prove.

How do I use "hard to establish" in a sentence?

Use "hard to establish" to describe something that presents a significant challenge in its creation, proof, or setup. For example, "The link between the two events was hard to establish due to lack of evidence."