hard to pull out

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to pull out" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is difficult to remove or extract from a particular situation or context. Example: "The old roots were so intertwined with the surrounding soil that they were hard to pull out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

"It's hard to pull out once you get there".

The New York Times

He will find it hard to pull out of future coalition talks with Cameron if he doesn't get his way.

The Guardian - Opinion

"I've never had to retire from a Grand Slam, especially after working so hard to pull out the match the other day.

The New York Times - Sports

The Tumble is hard but it slackens off after a couple of kilometres so it's hard to pull out a lot of time.

The Guardian - Sport

You can have any color you want, as long as it's white, and A. ptarmica is a rampant grower, notorious for its invasiveness (though it's not all that hard to pull out).

The New York Times

More than two-fifths of Autonomy's shareholders have already accepted HP's bid and British rules would make it hard to pull out of the deal.Either a weakened Mr Apotheker will have to do a better job of selling these moves to the market, or that job will fall to his successor.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Information about plantation life, though, is harder to pull out of them.

The New York Times - Travel

Barbs render a quill about four times harder to pull out once they're embedded, the team found.

Science Magazine

Once you start having these multiple disadvantages, it can be harder to pull out of the cycle".

Vice

While statistics about white evangelical Protestants are easy to find, it's harder to pull out data about evangelicals of color.

Huffington Post

"There have to be people in the administration who clearly understand that there are segments of the population that are going to be harder to pull out of the economic stress that we are all living in".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hard to pull out" to describe a situation, ensure the context clearly indicates what is being removed and from where. For example: "It's hard to pull out of a bad habit."

Common error

Avoid using "hard to pull out" in overly sensitive contexts where the phrase's literal meaning (physical removal) might be misconstrued or cause unintended offense. Consider alternatives like "difficult to leave" or "challenging to overcome."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to pull out" functions primarily as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe the difficulty associated with removing something. As shown in Ludwig, the phrase can be used to describe physical objects, habits, or even abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hard to pull out" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase that describes the difficulty in extracting something. As verified by Ludwig, its primary contexts are in news, general writing, and instructional content. The phrase functions as an adjective phrase, providing a concise way to express challenges associated with removal. While versatile, it's important to be mindful of the literal interpretation and potential for misconstrual in sensitive scenarios. Consider alternative phrases such as "difficult to extract" or "challenging to remove" for nuanced situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to extract

Emphasizes the challenge in taking something out, focusing on the extraction process.

tough to dislodge

Highlights the firmness and resistance against being moved or removed.

challenging to remove

Focuses on the level of difficulty involved in the act of removal.

not easy to withdraw

Suggests that backing out or retracting is complicated or problematic.

hard to get free

Focuses on the difficulty in achieving liberation or release.

difficult to separate

Highlights the interconnectedness making division complicated.

tough to extract oneself

Emphasizes the complexity of personal withdrawal from a difficult situation.

hard to disentangle

Focuses on the difficulty of unraveling or resolving a complicated situation.

not simple to retract

Suggests reversing a statement or decision is problematic or complex.

demanding to uproot

Emphasizes the effort required to remove something deeply embedded or established.

FAQs

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

You can use "hard to pull out" to describe something that is difficult to remove or extract from a situation. For example: "The old roots were so intertwined with the surrounding soil that they were "hard to pull out".

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

You can use alternatives like "difficult to extract", "tough to dislodge", or "challenging to remove" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "hard to pull out" or "difficult to pull out"?

Both "hard to pull out" and "difficult to pull out" are correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice often depends on personal preference or the specific tone you want to achieve.

What's the difference between "hard to pull out" and "hard to pull off"?

"Hard to pull out" refers to the difficulty of removing something, while "hard to pull off" means difficult to accomplish or execute successfully. The two phrases have distinct meanings and are not interchangeable.