hard to pull away

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to pull away" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone finds it difficult to detach themselves from a person, activity, or situation. Example: "After spending hours playing the game, I realized it was hard to pull away from the screen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

And waverers like Ponnuru should take care, lest their foot-dragging become de facto counter-revolutionary, in which case their fate is already sealed … Sorry, I've been reading Hilary Mantel's "A Place of Greater Safety," and it's a little hard to pull away from 1790s Paris.

The New York Times

Once they start building playlists and improving the personalization of recommendations, they'll be hard to pull away.

TechCrunch

But it may be hard to pull away from your regrets.

Huffington Post

With rousing numbers like "Black Gold" and "Sedona," it was hard to pull away, but there was an L.A. woman calling from the Hangout stage.

Huffington Post

Having enough self-control is important in this area, for it will be hard to pull away from something you love.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The deeper you go, the more they settle in and it's harder to pull away.

Los Angeles Times

Also of note, the readers for the gaming consoles are wired, which makes them hard to pull out and put away – that's not great for children, either.

TechCrunch

Was that hard to pull off?

The New Yorker

Was this hard to pull off?

The New Yorker

This is hard to pull off.

The New York Times - Arts

That is hard to pull off.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "hard to pull away", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the difficulty in detaching. For instance, specify the object, activity, or person from which separation is challenging.

Common error

Avoid using "hard to pull away" repeatedly in close proximity within your writing. Vary your language by using synonyms such as "difficult to disengage from" or other contextually appropriate alternatives to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to pull away" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying an implied noun by describing the difficulty in detaching from something. Ludwig confirms its usability. The examples illustrate its use in describing experiences that are captivating or difficult to leave.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hard to pull away" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression that describes something captivating or difficult to leave. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in various contexts. It functions as an adjectival phrase, conveying the alluring or addictive nature of a subject. While versatile, it's important to ensure clarity and avoid overuse by utilizing available synonyms like "difficult to disengage from". The examples highlight its prevalence in news, media and wiki contexts, while formal or academic usage is rare.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to disengage from

Replaces "hard" with "difficult" and "pull away" with "disengage from", emphasizing the act of detaching.

challenging to detach oneself from

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging" and uses the more formal "detach oneself from".

tough to break free from

Replaces "hard" with "tough" and "pull away" with "break free from", suggesting a struggle.

not easy to leave behind

Offers a gentler alternative, focusing on the act of leaving rather than detaching.

difficult to tear oneself away from

Emphasizes a sense of reluctance and effort in leaving.

irresistible

Implies that something is so appealing that it's difficult to leave.

captivating

Highlights the engaging and absorbing nature of something, making it hard to leave.

alluring

Suggests that something is attractive and tempting, hence difficult to abandon.

engrossing

Focuses on how something completely occupies one's attention, making it difficult to stop.

hard to resist

Shifts the focus to the difficulty of resisting the draw of something.

FAQs

How can I use "hard to pull away" in a sentence?

You can use "hard to pull away" to describe something that is captivating or difficult to leave. For example, "The book was so engrossing that it was hard to pull away from it."

What can I say instead of "hard to pull away"?

You can use alternatives like "difficult to disengage from", "challenging to detach oneself from", or "tough to break free from" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "difficult to pull away" instead of "hard to pull away"?

Yes, "difficult to pull away" is a perfectly acceptable and grammatically correct alternative to "hard to pull away". The word "difficult" is a direct synonym for "hard" in this context, and the meaning remains the same.

What does "hard to pull away" imply?

The phrase "hard to pull away" implies that something is very engaging, interesting, or addictive, making it challenging for someone to stop or detach themselves from it. It suggests a strong attraction or captivation.