harsh to change

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "harsh to change" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that something is difficult or challenging to alter, but the wording is awkward. Example: "The rules of the organization are harsh to change, making it difficult for new ideas to be implemented."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It may seem harsh to change a winning side, but I just believe that's the right way for England looking forward to the series against New Zealand and Australia this summer.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

While that harsh reality needs to change, there's no denying that gender roles have evolved since the days of our parents and grandparents.

The Guardian - Opinion

Analogously, "hard" is defined with words like firm, rigid, resistant, free of weakness, unlikely to change, harsh, severe.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Such episodes stud the annals of Israeli-Palestinian hostility: The rules are old and harsh and are unlikely to change any time soon.

The New York Times

Burns also knows something about the harsh necessities of adapting to change.

Forbes

Avoid making harsh or hard, efforts to change your voice, so as to prevent any straining of the vocal cords.

WikiHow

Strikes by Air France's pilots are not going to change these harsh realities.

The Economist

Some of it has been directed at her policies, particularly her desire to change a harsh citizenship law to make it easier for Italian-born children of foreigners to gain full nationality before they are 18.

The Guardian

So instead of saying, 'This is what happens,' I tried to say, 'This is Fayza, who has such a harsh life, but she wants to change her life.' " Follow @LauraBoushnak, @kerrimac and @nytimesphoto on Twitter.

The New York Times

And analysts say there is little Condit can do to change the harsh reality of barter-style trade in such regions as Asia.

Los Angeles Times

These tragedies potentially could provide us with a catalyst to change the harsh polarization that is affecting both the American and Israeli society.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Rephrase sentences using more common and grammatically sound alternatives like "difficult to change" or "challenging to modify" to improve clarity and acceptance.

Common error

Avoid using the construction "harsh to change" as it deviates from standard English phrasing. Opt for more conventional alternatives that accurately convey the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "harsh to change" functions as an infinitive phrase aiming to describe a quality related to change. However, based on Ludwig's analysis, its grammatical structure is considered incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

9%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "harsh to change" is considered grammatically incorrect and is rarely used in standard English. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrasing is awkward and suggests opting for more conventional alternatives such as ""difficult to change"" or ""challenging to modify"". While the search results show its presence across various sources, it's advisable to avoid this phrase in favor of more grammatically sound options to ensure clarity and credibility in writing. Authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian do use the phrase, but its infrequency and the availability of better alternatives make it a less desirable choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to alter

Emphasizes the difficulty in modifying something.

challenging to modify

Highlights the demanding nature of making changes.

resistant to modification

Focuses on the inherent opposition to being changed.

unlikely to be altered

Indicates a low probability of change occurring.

hard to transform

Stresses the effort required for a complete change.

inflexible regarding changes

Highlights a lack of adaptability to modifications.

rigid and unyielding to change

Emphasizes the firmness and resistance to any alterations.

not easily amended

Implies that changes are not made without considerable effort.

difficult to bring about change

Highlights the complex nature of achieving change.

severely resistant to change

Emphasizes a strong level of opposition to alterations.

FAQs

What does "harsh to change" mean?

While not grammatically correct, "harsh to change" could be interpreted as something that is difficult or severe regarding the possibility of change. However, it's better to use phrases like "difficult to change" or "hard to change".

Is "harsh to change" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "harsh to change" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.

What are some alternatives to "harsh to change"?

Better alternatives include phrases such as "difficult to change", "challenging to modify", or "resistant to change".

How can I use the idea of "harsh to change" in a sentence correctly?

Instead of saying something is "harsh to change", try rephrasing it to say it is "difficult to alter" or "severely resistant to change" for better clarity.