hard to recognise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to recognise" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is difficult to identify or acknowledge. Example: "After the renovation, the old building was hard to recognise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

It is hard to recognise the victims.

The Guardian

It's just sometimes hard to recognise when this is happening.

The Guardian - Film

Overall, the plot is barely credible and the scientific setting hard to recognise.

The Economist

For a young singer it's often hard to recognise when a teacher is merely adequate.

The Guardian

It is hard to recognise that here, bar a few isolated examples.

The Guardian - Arts

But it's hard to recognise Verwoerd's dangerous force in the stilted figure gobbling pickled herring.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

It is even harder to recognise in Luisa Lambri's studies of Frank Lloyd Wright houses, where slivers of ornamented window frame appear out of dark surroundings.

The Guardian - Arts

If economics could try harder to recognise that people try to be rational, but in certain, often predictable, ways fail to be, the positivist approach would have a better foundation.

The Economist

Translation by Natalie Pilato) "While gentrification in Berlin is harder to recognise than in New York or London due to the low base from which rent prices started at, the percentage increases are extreme.

The Guardian

And it's perhaps even harder to recognise how completely Leavis, and the literary critical consensus associated with his name, has been swept aside since his death in 1978.

The Guardian - Books

Hackers have tried to counter detection by using a technique called "real-time polymorphism" - making their bots rewrite their own code every time they infect a new machine to make them harder to recognise.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing transformations or changes, use "hard to recognise" to emphasize the extent of the alteration. For example, "After the extensive renovations, the building was so different it was "hard to recognise".

Common error

Instead of saying "It is "hard to recognise"", try using an active construction like "One struggles to recognise" to create a more engaging and direct sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to recognise" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating the difficulty in identifying or perceiving something. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

28%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hard to recognise" is a versatile and grammatically sound expression used to convey difficulty in identifying or perceiving something. As Ludwig confirms, it's suitable for various contexts, ranging from describing physical changes to abstract concepts. Appearing frequently in News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, the phrase demonstrates a neutral register. When writing, consider using alternatives like "difficult to identify" or "not easily recognized", depending on the desired level of formality. Be mindful of overusing the passive voice and strive for more active constructions when appropriate. Ultimately, "hard to recognise" provides a concise and effective way to communicate challenges in recognition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to identify

Focuses on the challenge of pinpointing or naming something specifically.

challenging to discern

Highlights the effort required to perceive or understand something clearly.

not easily recognized

Emphasizes the lack of immediate or obvious identification.

tough to make out

Suggests a struggle to see or understand something due to obscurity or vagueness.

hard to distinguish

Focuses on the difficulty in differentiating between two or more things.

obscure to identify

Highlights the lack of clarity or prominence, making recognition difficult.

difficult to perceive

Emphasizes the challenge in becoming aware of something through the senses.

unclear to detect

Focuses on the absence of clarity, making detection difficult.

subtle to notice

Highlights that the features or characteristics are not immediately obvious.

elusive to grasp

Suggests the idea or concept is difficult to comprehend or understand.

FAQs

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

You can use "hard to recognise" to describe something that has changed significantly or is obscured in some way. For example, "The city had changed so much that it was "hard to recognise".

What are some alternatives to "hard to recognise"?

Alternatives include "difficult to identify", "not easily recognized", or "challenging to discern", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "hardly recognisable" instead of "hard to recognise"?

"Hardly recognisable" means something is almost not recognisable at all. "Hard to recognise" implies it requires effort, but is still possible. Choose the phrase that best fits the degree of difficulty.

What's the difference between "difficult to recognise" and "hard to recognise"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "hard to recognise" is generally considered more informal. "Difficult to recognise" might be preferred in more formal or academic writing.