harder to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harder to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the difficulty of two or more tasks or situations. Example: "This math problem is harder to solve than the previous one."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's harder to say.

The New York Times

"It's harder to rebuild.

The New York Times - Magazine

And harder to write!

The New Yorker

But harder to adore.

Independent

Much harder to draw.

The New York Times

"It's harder to sell".

The New York Times

"They're harder to find.

The New York Times

Temptation was harder to resist.

The New York Times - Books

They are harder to counterfeit.

The Economist

Far harder to deliver one.

Independent

Customers are harder to find.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "harder to", ensure you're making a clear comparison. Specify what the subject is harder than for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "harder to" without a specific context or comparison. Saying something is "harder to do" is vague. Instead, specify what makes it harder or what it's harder compared to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harder to" functions primarily as a comparative adjective phrase. It's used to indicate that a specific action, state, or object is more difficult or challenging than another. Ludwig AI confirms this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "harder to" is a common and grammatically sound comparative phrase used to express that something is more difficult than something else. Ludwig AI indicates its wide acceptance and usability. It appears most frequently in news and media, but also has significant presence in scientific and business contexts. When using the phrase, ensure that you're providing a clear comparison for context. For alternative phrasings, you might consider "more difficult to" or "tougher to" depending on the level of formality desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more difficult to

Replaces "harder" with its direct synonym, "more difficult", maintaining the same grammatical structure.

tougher to

Substitutes "harder" with "tougher", suggesting a more resilient or challenging obstacle.

more challenging to

Replaces "harder" with "more challenging", emphasizing the demanding nature of the task.

less easy to

Expresses the same idea by negating ease, providing a slightly different perspective.

not as simple to

Uses a more descriptive approach to convey the increased complexity.

increasingly difficult to

Highlights a progressive increase in difficulty over time.

more arduous to

Replaces "harder" with "more arduous", suggesting a task that is strenuous and taxing.

becomes more difficult to

Indicates a shift towards greater difficulty, often due to changing circumstances.

presents more difficulty to

Focuses on the difficulty as a quality presented by something, rather than a direct comparison.

poses a greater challenge to

Replaces "harder" with "poses a greater challenge", highlighting the obstacle.

FAQs

How can I use "harder to" in a sentence?

Use "harder to" when you want to compare the difficulty of two or more actions. For example, "It's harder to learn a new language as an adult than as a child."

What's a simple alternative to "harder to"?

A straightforward alternative is "more difficult to". This option maintains a similar level of formality and meaning.

Is there a less formal way to say "harder to"?

Yes, you could use "tougher to", which is more casual but still conveys the same basic idea of increased difficulty.

Which is correct, "harder to do" or "more hard to do"?

"Harder to do" is the correct and more common phrasing. "More hard" is not grammatically standard; use "more difficult" instead if you want to use "more".