hard to take

USAGE SUMMARY

"hard to take" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means difficult to accept or tolerate. Example: The news of his sudden death was hard to take for his family and friends.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"That was hard to take," Stelts said.

The New Yorker

But it is hard to take action.

The New York Times

"It was pretty hard to take.

The New York Times - Sports

This mistake was very hard to take.

Independent

"It's hard to take him out".

The New York Times

It can be hard to take.

The New York Times - Food

It was hard to take them off.

The New York Times

"That's really hard to take.

The New York Times - Sports

"It's pretty hard to take.

The Guardian - Sport

That was hard to take.

The Guardian - Sport

Was this hard to take?

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hard to take" when you want to express that something is emotionally or mentally challenging to accept or endure. Be mindful of the audience and context, as it can sometimes sound informal.

Common error

While "hard to take" is widely understood, in highly formal writing, consider using more sophisticated alternatives like "difficult to accept" or "challenging to endure" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hard to take" functions as an adjective phrase followed by an infinitive, expressing the degree of difficulty in accepting, enduring, or tolerating something. Ludwig AI confirms this is a standard and correct English phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

11%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hard to take" is a common and correct English expression used to describe something that is difficult to accept or endure. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used across various contexts, from news reports to personal conversations. While generally neutral in register, it's important to consider your audience and opt for more formal alternatives like "difficult to accept" in professional settings. With alternatives such as "tough to swallow" or "challenging to bear" at your disposal, you can effectively convey the emotional or mental challenge of accepting difficult situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to accept

Focuses on the mental challenge of accepting a situation.

tough to swallow

Emphasizes the unpleasantness and difficulty in believing something.

challenging to bear

Highlights the emotional strain and burden of enduring something.

difficult to stomach

Suggests a strong aversion or repugnance towards something.

unpleasant to endure

Focuses on the negative experience and the need to withstand it.

taxing to tolerate

Emphasizes the demanding nature of enduring something.

a bitter pill to swallow

Uses a metaphor to convey the unpleasantness of accepting something.

not easy to accept

Directly states the lack of ease in accepting a situation.

difficult to process

Highlights the cognitive effort required to understand and accept something.

hard to stomach

Expresses difficulty in accepting something due to its unpleasant nature.

FAQs

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

You can use "hard to take" to describe news, events, or situations that are difficult to accept or endure emotionally. For example: "The news of the company's closure was hard to take for the employees."

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

You can use alternatives like "difficult to accept", "tough to swallow", or "challenging to bear" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "hard to be taken" instead of "hard to take"?

No, "hard to be taken" has a different meaning. "Hard to take" means difficult to accept, while "hard to be taken" implies difficulty in being deceived or manipulated. The phrase "hard to take" is usually preferred.

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

"Hard to take" typically refers to emotional or mental acceptance, while "difficult to handle" refers to managing or dealing with a situation. For example, bad news might be "hard to take", but a complex project is "difficult to handle".