hard to split

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hard to split" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is difficult to separate or divide into parts. Example: "The task was hard to split into manageable sections, making it overwhelming for the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

It was too hard to split, too wet to burn, and too heavy to move, so we plowed around it.

The New York Times

Norwich, Crystal Palace and Wolves are all strong contenders to win the title and the bookies are finding it hard to split the three.

The Guardian - Sport

Since X-ray and consumer film are often made in the same factories, he said, it would be hard to split them; hospitals and doctors are also making the transition from film to digital, and need a company that offers both; Kodak has more than 600 inkjet-related patents, and has hired people from Hewlett who know that market.

The New York Times

"It is hard to split the two sides.

BBC

Speaking to engineers from two different top teams, both came to a similar conclusion - it is very hard to split the top five teams of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus and Mercedes.

BBC

The reason is simple: tap tap tap founders Sophia Teutschler and John Casasanta – who you might remember for his infamous blog post titled 'Fuck The VCs' – split up the company mid-October because of arguments over its future direction, and Where To was just too hard to split or assign, leaving only two options: let it fade into oblivion, or organize a fire sale.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

But once a couple is living together, it is harder to split up than if they were merely dating.

The Economist

Looking ahead, executives say the reorganization actually makes it harder to split off Merrill Lynch, because it will be more integrated into the overall company and will not remain under one main leader.

The New York Times

But in the case of goods that change in quality every year, it is much harder to split an increase in nominal ouput or spending between a change in volume and a change in price.

The Economist

Money and assets can be easily divided, but children are harder to split up equitably.

Huffington Post

Acrylic yarn is harder to split than wool, so is better for beginners.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hard to split" to describe a decision or choice, consider alternatives like "difficult to decide" or "challenging to choose" for added nuance.

Common error

Avoid using "hard to split" in contexts where a gentler phrasing is required. For instance, when mediating a dispute, phrases like "difficult to reconcile" or "challenging to harmonize" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to split" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive. It describes the difficulty associated with dividing or separating something. Ludwig AI confirms that this usage is correct and acceptable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hard to split" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote the difficulty of dividing or separating something, as corroborated by Ludwig AI. It finds common ground across news and media outlets, wikis, and scientific publications. When employing this phrase, it's crucial to consider the specific context to ensure semantic precision. When expressing related concepts, "difficult to divide" or "challenging to separate" offer suitable alternatives, though the exact choice depends on the intended nuance. Awareness of connotative implications is paramount to prevent miscommunication. Given its presence across diverse sources, "hard to split" remains a versatile and valuable component of the English lexicon.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to divide

Replaces "hard" with a direct synonym, maintaining a similar level of formality.

challenging to separate

Uses "challenging" instead of "hard" and "separate" instead of "split", indicating a more complex or demanding separation.

tough to partition

Employs "tough" as a synonym for "hard" and "partition" implying division into distinct parts.

onerous to cleave

Replaces "hard" with "onerous", suggesting something that's burdensome, and uses "cleave" to suggest a forceful split.

complicated to disaggregate

Utilizes "complicated" to indicate complexity and "disaggregate" which emphasizes the act of breaking something into smaller components.

problematic to detach

Employs "problematic" to highlight potential issues and "detach" which suggests separating something that was previously connected.

not easily divisible

Presents a more formal alternative using "not easily" and "divisible", indicating a lack of ease in division.

resents division

Implies that the entity actively resists being divided, which is a more figurative and emphatic expression.

defies fractionation

Employs sophisticated language implying resistance to being broken down, typically in a scientific or technical context.

unyielding to segmentation

Suggests resistance to being divided into segments, often used in marketing or technical contexts.

FAQs

What does "hard to split" mean?

The phrase "hard to split" describes something that is difficult to divide, separate, or differentiate. It implies that the subject is not easily broken down or distinguished into distinct parts.

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

You can use "hard to split" to describe tangible objects (e.g., "This log is hard to split") or abstract concepts (e.g., "The difference between the two options is "difficult to distinguish"").

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

You can use alternatives like "difficult to divide", "challenging to separate", or "tough to partition" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "hard to split" or "harder to split"?

Both "hard to split" and "harder to split" are grammatically correct. "Harder to split" implies a comparison, suggesting that something is more difficult to split than something else, while "hard to split" simply states that something is difficult to split.