harder to bear

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harder to bear" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is difficult to endure or tolerate, often in emotional or physical contexts. Example: "The loss of her beloved pet was harder to bear than she had anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This makes the economics harder to bear.

The New York Times

The reality is much harder to bear.

The Guardian - Opinion

This new absence will be far harder to bear.

The New Yorker

This makes their idleness all the harder to bear.

The Guardian - Books

Such hope made the disappointment even harder to bear.

The Guardian

"Right now, it's harder to bear down and have the effort to be there.

The New York Times - Sports

Making it even harder to bear, he was playing well at the time of the injury.

The New York Times - Sports

They showed me mementos of Michael, and said his death grows harder to bear each day.

The New York Times

His fears were harder to bear because his supposed faith should have relieved him of them.

The Guardian - Film

Kidd says that the brutality of the crime made her loss harder to bear.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That Lou's chief victims are women makes these attacks even harder to bear.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "harder to bear", ensure the context clearly identifies what is becoming more difficult to endure. This provides clarity and impact to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "harder to bear" lightly. This phrase carries significant emotional weight; overusing it can dilute its impact and make your writing seem insincere.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harder to bear" functions as an adjective phrase describing a situation or feeling that is increasingly difficult to endure or tolerate. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

86%

Science

7%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "harder to bear" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe situations or feelings that are becoming increasingly difficult to endure. According to Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, particularly in News & Media. When using this phrase, consider its emotional weight and ensure clarity in specifying what is becoming more difficult. While alternatives like "more difficult to endure" exist, "harder to bear" remains a potent and effective way to convey the increasing intensity of distress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more difficult to endure

Replaces "harder" with "more difficult" and "bear" with "endure", emphasizing the challenge in tolerating something.

tougher to withstand

Substitutes "harder" with "tougher" and "bear" with "withstand", highlighting the resistance required.

more challenging to tolerate

Replaces "harder" with "more challenging" and "bear" with "tolerate", focusing on the mental effort required.

increasingly unbearable

Uses "unbearable" to express the growing inability to tolerate something.

more painful to experience

Substitutes "harder" with "more painful" and "bear" with "experience", emphasizing the unpleasantness.

more onerous to deal with

Replaces "harder" with "more onerous" and "bear" with "deal with", focusing on the burdensome nature.

more trying to put up with

Substitutes "harder" with "more trying" and "bear" with "put up with", emphasizing the frustrating aspect.

more taxing to cope with

Replaces "harder" with "more taxing" and "bear" with "cope with", highlighting the strain involved.

increasingly intolerable

Uses "intolerable" to express the growing lack of acceptance of something.

more grievous to suffer

Replaces "harder" with "more grievous" and "bear" with "suffer", emphasizing the severity of the experience.

FAQs

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

Use "harder to bear" to describe situations or feelings that are becoming increasingly difficult to endure. For example, "The pain of the loss was "harder to bear" each day".

What are some alternatives to "harder to bear"?

You can use alternatives such as "more difficult to endure", "tougher to withstand", or "increasingly unbearable" to convey a similar meaning, depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "more harder to bear"?

No, it is incorrect to say "more harder to bear". The correct phrase is ""harder to bear"". "Harder" already implies a comparative degree, so adding "more" is redundant.

What makes something "harder to bear" compared to just "difficult"?

When something is ""harder to bear"", it implies a progressive increase in the difficulty of enduring it over time or in comparison to a previous state. It suggests a growing emotional or physical burden.